The China Mail - Juve bounce back after Tudor sacking as Roma keep pace with leaders Napoli

Federico Gatti thumped home a powerful header in the 67th minute before Kenan Yildiz slotted in a late penalty in Turin to give Juve a first win in any competition since mid-September and move them to sixth spot on 15 points, six behind leading pair Napoli and Roma.

Gatti and Yildiz saved Juve's blushes after another disjointed performance, this time under "Next Gen" under-23 coach Massimo Brambilla who has stepped in until Tudor's permanent replacement in the dugout is confirmed.

Juve were level at 1-1 heading into the final third of a match played at a soaking Allianz Stadium after Nicolo Zaniolo stroked home his third goal of the season in the dying seconds of the first half, cancelling out Dusan Vlahovic's early penalty.

"I've only been here with the first team a couple of days, on Monday morning I was in training with the under-23s and then in the afternoon I was with the first team," said Brambilla to broadcaster DAZN.

"They're good players, they know what they're supposed to do and today they deserved the win."

Spalletti is expected to sign a contract until the end of the season which will be renewed only if Juve manage to qualify for the Champions League.

But speaking to DAZN ahead of Wednesday's win Giorgio Chiellini, a club icon and now Juve's strategic director, insisted that "nothing has been signed right now".

- Roma in the hunt -

Spalletti, now 66 years old, had a dreadful time in his most recent job as Italy coach, crashing out of Euro 2024 in the last 16 before being sacked early in the Azzurri's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

But he has been one of the country's most influential coaches over the past two decades, performing way above expectations at Roma, Inter Milan and then Napoli, where he won a historic Serie A title in 2023.

One point ahead of Juve are ambitious Como, who moved into fourth thanks to a 3-1 victory over winless Verona, another match played under a downpour in northern Italy.

In the capital, Mario Hermoso headed home his first goal for Roma just after the hour mark before Artem Dovbyk netted the crucial strike with nine minutes remaining as Gian Piero Gasperini's charges maintained their pursuit of Napoli.

Dovbyk's second goal of a troubled start to the season for the Ukraine striker was key as Alessandro Circati pulled one back for Parma shortly afterwards but the 15th-placed side couldn't force an equaliser.

"These are three well-earned points... once we got going we controlled the game, conceded very little and created plenty," said coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Roma travel to AC Milan on Sunday night with the division's best defence -- Circati's strike was the fourth conceded in nine league matches -- and a chance to prove that they deserve to be in the Scudetto discussion.

Milan, in third, can be caught on 18 points by local rivals Inter Milan who host troubled Fiorentina at the San Siro.

B.Chan--ThChM