Rarely have we seen the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo so full. Fans from around Sicily came to watch the match between Palermo and Juventus with half of the stadium cheering on the men in black and white. If only the match was worthy of their passion.
Juventus instead pulled off another tame but mature performance highlighted by a moment of individual brilliance to collect the points and start preparing for their Champions League test.
With Andrea Barzagli back in the squad and the Old Lady missing her best midfielders, Massimiliano Allegri opted to revert to a 3-5-2 formation in hopes of restricting Palermo's front two Argentines and control proceedings.
Muted and void of any intensity, the Bianconeri were once again slow, barely capable of exerting any energy and simply present in order to fulfil their duties. Deployed in his favoured wing-back position, only Stephan Lichtsteiner looked interested in breathing life into the formation that once inspired intoxicating determination but that now provides nothing but tedium.
With Beppe Iachini's men disinterested in providing a challenge, focusing instead on closing down the spaces and counter-attacking only when and if they saw an opportunity, the 30,000-plus crowd must have wondered why they ever bothered to attend the snooze fest.
Ultimately, this was a Juve side that was missing her best men in the middle while Fernando Llorente up top failed to make the most of his opportunity to make an impression. Cumbersome and inefficient, not even this blog that regularly defends the many tactical sacrifices this man has made in the past can truly provide an excuse for the weak performance that was delivered. At least Carlos Tevez alongside him, the man Allegri refuses to rest, attempted a shot on goal and provided some entertainment, albeit for a moment.
With Paolo De Ceglie reintroduced back in the side and Stefano Sturaro deployed from start, Allegri hoped the match would provide them with minutes and perhaps some experience to carry forward. Sadly, the former failed to truly make the most of the chance handed to him, never fully capable of exploiting the space offered on left lane and in turn, gifting the opponent too much room to operate. With so much competition for the role, this was the time to demonstrate will and passion but the ex-Parma player only disappointed.
Sturaro on the other hand played a proactive game, eager to make an impression as quickly as possible. It will take time before he truly understands the requirements of the role but sadly he was forced to come off too quickly.
In the second half, Palermo pushed themselves further upfield and looked to press their opponents but it was the away side that were granted a free kick in a dangerous area. One hoped the game was about to come to life but for Allegri's men to truly make an impression, they needed pace and their boss finally made the substitution that mattered: introducing Alvaro Morata for Llorente.
With Claudio Marchisio now having a quick runner to provide with an accurate pass, it took the Spaniard only 11 minutes before he made the right run and delivered a delicious finish to seal the points for his side. A moment of exquisite quality, Juventus needed their technical players to make the difference on a night of solid defending.
Marchisio not only provided the assist but put in a terrific performance on the day, providing instructions, telling off those who committed needless fouls and bossing the midfield in organised fashion. He read the game perfectly as he quickly tracked back to close down the spaces between the lines before launching the perfect passes forward, few understand the duality of the role as well as the Juve youth product. A man of infinite tactical intelligence and the character necessary to step up and act as a leader, Marchisio is a man to always depend on.
With Juve a little more fiery, Iachini was forced to effect changes to the side to ensure strength at the back and some excitement going forward but the Old Lady proved mature and composed, managing the game to perfection to secure the points and await her next challenge with quiet confidence.
It remains to be seen what formation Allegri will deploy against the Germans and whether Barzagli will be chosen to start the match. His composure and elegance on the ball has been greatly missed and while he was a little off the pace in the match today, receiving a yellow card as he attempted to handle the speed of his opponents, one expects him to recover his fine form quickly.
Giorgio Chiellini has suffered frequently this season and it would be helpful to rest him even if his heroics can, at times, make the difference. With Jurgen Klopp's men eager to provoke errors when the two teams meet in the Champions League this week, it will take a mature performance at the back to ensure defensive solidity, whoever plays.