Juventus picked up a routine 2-0 win over Monza in Turin, but the celebration was cut short by an unnecessary and costly red card for Kenan Yildiz. The 19-year-old Turkish starlet saw red at the end of the first half for elbowing Bianco off the ball, an action reviewed and punished by VAR. His absence could now rule him out of two key fixtures: away to Bologna and against Lazio, both crucial in the race for a Champions League spot.
Up until that moment, the Bianconeri had been in complete control. Nico Gonzalez opened the scoring with a powerful left-footed shot from the edge of the area in the 11th minute, while Kolo Muani – back on the scoresheet after more than two months – doubled the lead just past the half-hour mark, finishing a move sparked by Thuram.
With Monza showing little resistance and teetering on the brink of relegation, the game seemed to be heading for a quiet conclusion. But Yildiz’s moment of madness changed the tone dramatically. Down to ten men, Juve retreated and focused entirely on defending.
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Despite Monza holding nearly 90% possession during portions of the second half, they never seriously threatened Wojciech Szczęsny’s goal. Still, Juventus showed little attacking ambition, and the match descended into a static exercise in damage control.
Coach Igor Tudor reacted swiftly, subbing off Cambiaso and Thuram to protect against further disciplinary risks, but the second half offered little reassurance. In a weekend where rivals Roma and Fiorentina reignited their Champions League push, Juventus got the job done, but the performance – and Yildiz’s red – raised more concerns than confidence.
