Vlahovic ends 180-day drought with free kick as Juventus held 1-1 by relegated Verona

Key facts

• Dusan Vlahovic scored his first goal of 2026, a direct free kick, to earn Juventus a 1-1 draw against Hellas Verona at Allianz Stadium on May 3, 2026.
• Verona took a surprise lead in the first half when Kieron Bowie swept in after Gleison Bremer was dispossessed by Domagoj Bradaric.
• Juventus had kept four consecutive clean sheets before conceding to Verona, who were already relegated to Serie B.
• The draw left Juventus three points behind third-placed AC Milan and two points ahead of fifth-placed Como with three rounds remaining.
• Verona's Gift Orban was frozen out after an altercation with a fan, and Nicolas Valentini was suspended.
• Juventus had not lost a Serie A game against a side starting the matchday in the bottom two at home.
• Vlahovic's free kick was the first direct free kick scored by Juventus in Serie A this season.

A point that feels like a loss

Dusan Vlahovic came off the bench to score his first goal of 2026 and rescue a point for Juventus against already-relegated Hellas Verona, but the 1-1 draw at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday was a missed opportunity to climb into third place in Serie A. With Como, Napoli and Milan all dropping points earlier in the weekend, a victory would have put Juventus joint third with Milan. Instead, they remain three points behind the Rossoneri and only two ahead of fifth-placed Como, with three matches left to secure Champions League qualification. Luciano Spalletti's side had been unbeaten in over two months and had kept six clean sheets in their previous seven league outings, but defensive complacency cost them against a Verona side playing for pride.

Bremer's error gifts Verona the lead

Juventus dominated the first half, with Francisco Conceicao testing Lorenzo Montipò at the near post and a Pierre Kalulu cross flicked onto the crossbar by Gleison Bremer's head on 26 minutes. Manuel Locatelli saw a strike deflected just wide before being booked for simulation. But moments later, Verona took a surprise lead. Bremer was caught napping while passing out from the back, intercepted by Domagoj Bradaric, who rolled the ball across from the left for Kieron Bowie to sweep in. It was a remarkable goal given Juventus had kept four consecutive clean sheets before that gift. The Scotland international nearly got another when his shot was deflected over by Lloyd Kelly, while Andrias Edmundsson made another decisive block on Andrea Cambiaso.

Vlahovic ends drought with a free kick

Dusan Vlahovic was thrown on for Khephren Thuram after the restart, and Juventus switched to a 4-4-2 formation. A couple of crosses were too high for the Serbian, but he got his team level and ended his 180-day goal drought by bending a free kick around the Verona wall and into the near bottom corner. Remarkably, it was also the first direct free kick scored by Juventus in Serie A this season. The goal sparked a flurry of chances: Akpa Akpro risked an own goal from a Conceicao pull-back, and Montipò made two extraordinary reaction saves in the space of a minute, both to deny Conceicao from point-blank range at the back post. Conceicao also drilled wide from the edge of the area, while Jeremie Boga couldn't surprise Montipò at the far stick on an Edon Zhegrova cross.

Injuries and suspensions hit both sides

Juventus were without Juan Cabal and Arkadiusz Milik through injury, but Kenan Yildiz returned to the starting XI after two games as a substitute, and Vlahovic was deemed fit enough for the bench after overcoming a long-term injury setback. Defenders Gleison Bremer and Lloyd Kelly were both one yellow card away from an automatic suspension. Verona's injury list was extensive: Armel Bella-Kotchap, Cheikh Niasse, Daniel Oyegoke, Suat Serdar and Daniel Mosquera were all sidelined, with Mosquera out for the season after knee surgery. Nicolas Valentini served a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation, and Gift Orban was frozen out after an altercation with a fan last month.

Top-four race tightens

Juventus entered the match with a two-point cushion over fifth-placed Como, but the draw means they now have little room for error. Spalletti had warned his players not to rely on calculations, saying in his pre-match press conference: "When I hear people talk about fourth place, I hear certain calculations, but you don't get there with calculations, you do it by maintaining a certain consistency." Verona, already relegated after Lecce's win over Pisa on Friday, showed resilience despite their lowly position. They had not won in Turin in Serie A history, losing 29 of 34 previous visits, but they held Juventus to a draw for the second time this season after a 1-1 result in September.

What lies ahead

With three rounds remaining, Juventus must win their remaining matches to secure a top-four finish without relying on other results. The Bianconeri have a favourable run-in, but the draw against Verona exposed vulnerabilities that stronger opponents could exploit. For Verona, the focus is on restoring dignity after a disappointing campaign. Paolo Sammarco's side have won only three of their last 30 Serie A games, but their spirited performance in Turin suggests they are not simply rolling over.

The bottom line

• Dusan Vlahovic scored his first goal of 2026, a direct free kick, to salvage a 1-1 draw for Juventus against relegated Hellas Verona.
• Juventus missed the chance to move joint third in Serie A and now hold only a two-point lead over fifth-placed Como.
• Gleison Bremer's error led to Verona's goal, ending Juventus's run of four consecutive clean sheets.
• Verona's extensive injury list and internal issues, including Gift Orban's altercation with a fan, hampered their season.
• Juventus have three matches left to secure Champions League qualification, with no room for further slip-ups.
• The draw was Verona's second against Juventus this season, despite their relegation.