1. Over 15,000 Juventus fans signed a petition to replace current Inter manager Antonio Conte’s star on the club’s Hall of Fame with the recently retired Marchisio. The demand became so vocal that chairman Andrea Agnelli had to step in and emphasize that Conte will remain a part of Juventus’ story regardless of future affiliation. Side stepping the controversy, Conte chose to focus on the humanity of the sport in saying that soccer “should reflect positive human values, not hate and violence.”
  2. Conte has won his opening six matches at Inter, with his new side currently two points ahead of Juventus on top of the table. Inter have given up just two goals on the season and lead Serie A with a +11 goal differential.
  3. Conte and Sarri are described as neither friends nor enemies, though Conte did say earlier that Sarri needs to stop complaining about the little things “as he’s on the powerful side now.”
  4. Sarri has adapted to Juventus’ starpower by eschewing his traditional 4-3-3 for a midfield diamond in order to accommodate Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala at striker, with Aaron Ramsay finding new life in the #10 role. Many analysts noted that Sarri has yet to stamp his mark on Juventus, although with a club driven by global ambition, one wonders if he’ll ever get that opportunity in lieu of pragmatic fixes. 
  5. Sarri relieved the pressure from his team by dismissing the idea that the match would decide the Serie A title race, adding that there’s still 31 rounds to go.
  6. The lineups are out with Conte coming out with a 3-5-2 formation and Sarri going with his 4-3-1-2. Known for his industry and physicality, Inter’s midfield of Marcelo Brozovic, Stefano Sensi, and Nicolo Barella is as technical as Conte gets. For Juve, Frederico Bernadeschi takes Aaron Ramsay’s role in midfield. Juan Cuadrado takes the reins at right back. 
  7. Juventus immediately attack with a long ball off their opening kickoff, getting the ball into Inter’s box. 
  8. In a flashback to their Madrid days, Diego Godin gets in an early foul on Ronaldo. 
  9. Ronaldo looks like he got fouled again off the ensuing free kick, but the ball finds its way to Dybala who scores the opening goal with a shot into the side of the net. Dybala had no angle with Martin Skriniar in front of him, though that is the match-winning imagination we expect from the playmaker.
  10. This is the first time that Inter have trailed in Serie A all season. And despite the goal coming after three minutes, Inter were playing with a lot of energy. 
  11. In continuing the theme of energy and activity, Juventus are causing turnovers on Inter’s midfield with their own high press. 
  12. Ronaldo blasts a shot off the crossbar. The sequence was trademark modern wing play, with Ronaldo receiving the ball in space on the left wing, beating Godin inside, and finding space on his right foot.
  13. On the other end of 1 v 1 battles featuring strikers and center backs, Bonucci is handling Lukaku in the air.
  14. We’ve all discussed the resurgence of Serie A, but we’re seeing it first-hand in this match in its high tempo and pressing. Each side are inviting their opponent to play with pace due to a high line, leaving a lot of space in behind the defense.
  15. Inter finally get something out of their high pressure. Barella sends in a cross from the right half space aimed at Lautaro, forcing a handball from Matthijs de Ligt as he scrambled to defend the Argentine striker. De Ligt had no business in leading with his arm, and the mistake will only fuel doubts about his transition to Serie A. Lautaro sneaks in his penalty under Wojciech Szczesny.
  16. Goals win matches, but Lautaro adds so much in linking Inter’s midfield to Romelu Lukaku on counter attacks. He looks much more filled out, confident, and driven this season.
  17. Neither side have had a chance to control this match 30 minutes in. Though Ronaldo is always good for style points, showing off his footwork to the whistles from the San Siro crowd. 
  18. Sensi goes off with an injury, taking out some of the imagination in this match. Though considering the end to end play and goals, there is still an excellent balance between midfield technique and wing creativity - all at speed.
  19. Godin is giving away fouls now. As such, this match finally has time to breathe for the first time.
  20. The commentary signals out Bernardeschi for not doing anything in the #10 role. 
  21. Ronaldo finds the back of the net again, but the goal is waved off due to an offsides from Dybala. It feels like only a matter of time now for Juve. The class of Pjanic, Ronaldo, and Dybala is finally allowing Sarri’s side to take control just before the end of the first half. 
  22. Leave it to Bonucci to add more tension to an already excellent first half by getting into a scuffle down Inter’s tunnel at halftime. 
  23. Juve open with possession in the second half, continuing to exert their control. 
  24. Godin is getting away with a lot of physical tackles - one wonders how differently his style would have been called in La Liga.
  25. Another good commentary note: who could have seen both Blaise Matuidi and Sami Khedira in the same lineup under Sarri? It is a show of pragmatism - and perhaps growth - from the Juventus manager that could especially reap benefits in Europe. 
  26. Godin goes off injured, which coincides with Dybala getting penetration behind Inter’s defense. This has to be the best match the Argentine has played this season.
  27. And though Juve aren’t showing off Sarri-ball in attack, their high pressing is straight from his playbook. They aren’t actively pressing Handanovic, instead man-marking every Inter defender and midfielder and daring the goalie to find an outlet with an accurate long ball.
  28. Gonzalo Higuain comes on. The Argentine striker looks re-energized by his Juventus move. Staying on the topic of re-engaged players formerly of the Premier League, Lukaku has been lively in leading the line. 
  29. Though as opposed to Dybala’s ability to complement Ronaldo, Higuain and Ronaldo are too redundant in their positioning up front. 
  30. Emre Can surprisingly comes into the match. Again, he is not a Sarri midfielder, but it shows off how much physicality and depth Juve have in midfield. That overloading of box to box midfielders is a vestige of Allegri, and it’s up to Sarri to sprinkle on a match-winning quality in Europe. 
  31. And of course, it had to be Higuain to score the potential match-winner. The entire sequence looked like a set play from basketball - Pjanic sent in a ball to Ronaldo, who flicked to Rodrigo Bentancur, who sent Higuain behind Inter’s backline. It was all quick, and all with pace. Credit to Pjanic, whose initial pass completely changed the tempo of Juventus’ play. 
  32. Matias Vecino gets behind Juve’s backline and draws a save from Szczesny. That was the last bout of attack from Inter before the end of the match. But really, that it was Higuain who scored the go-ahead goal appeared to lend a sense of fate to this match.  
  33. It feels like every big Serie A match is a referendum about the resurgence of the league. That said, Juventus and Inter each legitimately played at a high tempo, with speed and technical quality. Conte and Sarri’s education in the Premier League is adding a new energy and wrinkle to both sides that could resonate throughout the league. 
  34. The substitutions made from Sarri in reinforcing the midfield with running and physicality were Allegri-like in their impact in regaining control of a match. Conte’s options were more limited, especially in not being able to bring on a change of tempo striker for Lukaku or Lautaro. One could boil this match down to Sarri being able to bring in a Higuain-type of striker late into the match and Conte lacking that option. Regardless, Juventus are now back on top of the table. The more things change with a new style of Serie A, the more they stay the same.