Goal : Juventus went level on points with AC Milan at the top of Serie A courtesy of a dour 0-0 draw with Udinese at the Stadio Friuli on Wednesday evening.
Claudio Marchisio threatened a couple of times for the Bianconeri but they were, for the most part, frustrated by a Udinese side who only threatened sporadically on the counterattack during the second half of what was a desperately disappointing game.
Juventus started promisingly enough, with midfielder Marchisio slicing wide from the edge of the box after a clever cutback from Marcelo Estigarribia, before Simone Pepe called Samir Handanovic into action for the first time on 10 minutes with a well-struck effort from 25 yards out which the goalkeeper could only parry away.
Udinese’s only real opening came from a mistake by Giorgio Chiellini, the defender botching an attempted headed clearance which put Mauricio Isla in on goal. However, Gianluigi Buffon was alive to the danger and made himself big to block Isla’s attempted lob.
However, the odd defensive lapse aside, Juve were relatively comfortable throughout and they came desperately close to taking the lead on two occasions shortly before the interval, Marchisio curling just wide from the edge of the area before Chiellini drew a fine reaction save out of Handanovic with his clever flick from Andrea Pirlo’s free kick.