Whenever José Mourinho and Massimiliano Allegri meet on the touchline, a rigid tactical battle is ought to ensue, with every manager trying to outfox his counterpart in a good-old “Who can close down more spaces” contest. This partially explains the mutual respect and esteem in this odd friendship.

The Special One went as far as deploying four central midfielders in his starting lineup with Paulo Dybala acting as a lone striker. After all, the end justifies the means.

But although the final result suggests that the Portuguese prevailed in the duel, even the Giallorossi must admit that they rode their luck on several instances. In fact, the Bianconeri struck the post on three occasions, while a couple of Rui Patricio heroics were required to maintain a Roman clean sheet.

Surely not a single Roma fan would have envisioned a victory courtesy of a long-range effort from Gianluca Mancini. The big defender might never replicate this stunning strike for the rest of his playing days.

Nonetheless, credit must be given where credit is due, and we must admit that Roma displayed a superior level of maturity and composure on Sunday, which is an astounding statement considering the history between the two sides.

In the past, this is where the Bianconeri used to excel against their capital foes, relying on their experience to overcome an entertaining, yet uncrafty Giallorossi en route to victory.

But on Sunday, the roles have been reversed. It was the Romans who utilized their gamesmanship to reach the finish line unscathed.

Now surely Mancini’s provocative maneuver against Moise Kean was the highlight of Il Lupi’s cerebral outing, but their was other significant incidents in this regard as well, including an almost similar altercation between Roger Ibanez and Filip Kostic, and a tactical foul from Leonardo Spinazzola who prevented Federico Chiesa from heading towards goal.

It felt that every incident played out in favor of the Clever Wolves who were undoubtedly inspired by their manager’s well-illustrated demeanor, heeding the call for Juve’s uncharacteristically immature display, which partially cost them the win.

Here are some other quick takeaways from last night’s defeat:

  • Even prior to yesterday’s outrageous dismissal, Kean was already at odds with a section of the club’s fanbase. So will this incident mark the end of his second stint in Turin?
  • Angel Di Maria is a brilliant player, but unless other Juventus star step up to the plate, the opposition will focus primarily on nullifying the Argentine’s threat, leaving the team short on ideas.
  • Leonardo Bonucci’s introduction improved the team’s rhythm, allowing Juventus to build up the play from the back. But it remains to be seen if the aging defender will be able to cope with pacey strikers, which has been the biggest concern based on his performances from the first part of the season.
  • Paul Pogba once again brought the X-factor to an otherwise stagnant midfield. The Frenchman’s availability will be crucial for the team’s hopes in all competitions for the rest of the campaign.