Juventus Held to 13th Draw of the Season as Retegui Saves Atalanta in Serie A Stalemate

Juventus’s struggles to convert draws into victories persisted as they played out a 1-1 stalemate against Atalanta in Serie A on Tuesday.

Pierre Kalulu’s early second-half strike was canceled out by Mateo Retegui’s late equalizer, marking Juventus’s 13th draw in 20 league matches this season.

The result left Juventus in fifth place with 34 points, while Atalanta, also drawing their third consecutive match, held onto third place with 43 points, four points behind leaders Napoli.

Kalulu’s Early Goal Sparks Hope

The second half started brightly for Juventus as Kalulu gave them the lead just nine minutes after the restart.

Capitalizing on Weston McKennie’s incisive pass into the box, Kalulu slid the ball past goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi at the near post.

Juventus’s aggressive approach nearly bore fruit earlier when Kalulu’s header from a corner struck the post, only to roll along the goal line before Carnesecchi cleared.

Moments later, Khephren Thuram’s blocked attempt led to a counter-attack for Atalanta, but Mario Pasalic’s shot went wide.

Atalanta’s Comeback and Retegui’s Heroics

Despite conceding early, Atalanta gradually found their rhythm. Substitute Mateo Retegui, making his return from injury, rose to the occasion in the 78th minute.

Connecting with Raoul Bellanova’s cross, Retegui scored a diving header to level the game.

Retegui’s goal was his 13th of the season, propelling him to the top of the Serie A scoring charts.

His performance further underlined his importance to Atalanta, especially in their ongoing unbeaten run, which now stands at 15 matches—a feat they have achieved only once before in their history.

Thiago Motta’s Record and Juve’s Ongoing Frustration

Juventus manager Thiago Motta watched the match from the stands due to a red card received during the derby against Torino.

Despite the draw, Motta achieved a notable milestone, becoming only the second Juventus manager to remain unbeaten in his first 20 Serie A matches, following Antonio Conte.

After the match, Motta expressed mixed emotions. “It’s clear that we can’t be happy with the result; we go on the pitch to win. We played well, created some interesting situations, but we weren’t good enough to score,” he admitted.

Missed Opportunities and Defensive Brilliance

The match had its fair share of dramatic moments, particularly in the closing minutes. Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman came close to giving his side the lead when his shot was cleared off the line by Teun Koopmeiners.

Both goalkeepers delivered clutch performances to keep the scoreline intact.

Marco Carnesecchi denied Manuel Locatelli with a stretching save, while Michele Di Gregorio used his legs to thwart Atalanta’s Nicolò Zaniolo in a one-on-one situation.

In stoppage time, Juventus nearly snatched the win as Kenan Yildiz’s angled drive skimmed the post, leaving the visitors to rue yet another missed opportunity.

Draws Dampen Title Hopes

Juventus’s inability to turn draws into wins continues to hurt their campaign. With 13 draws in their first 20 matches, they have matched a record held only by Inter in the 2004-05 season, who had 14 draws in the same period.

Similarly, Atalanta’s title ambitions are also stalling. With three consecutive draws for the first time since May 2017, they find themselves four points adrift of Napoli and level with Inter, who have two games in hand.

Looking Ahead

Juventus’s fifth-place position leaves them 13 points behind the league leaders. While they remain unbeaten, their frequent stalemates highlight a pressing need to find consistency in converting performances into wins.

Atalanta, on the other hand, will look to build on their resilient displays and capitalize on their unbeaten streak to stay in the title race.

With Retegui back in form, they have a potent weapon in their arsenal for the battles ahead.