Vlahovic strikes after 10 seconds as Juve climb to third with Lecce win

Juventus has taken a significant step towards securing a Champions League spot with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Lecce. The decisive moment came just 10 seconds into the match, with Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic netting the fastest league goal for the club since records began in 2004.

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The most important thing was the result. We got the three points, we absolutely must win the remaining two games.

This crucial win lifts Juventus to third place in the Serie A standings, providing a vital buffer in the race for European qualification. The team now holds a one-point advantage over AC Milan and a four-point lead over fifth-placed AS Roma, with only two rounds of fixtures remaining.

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It was all in our hands. If we win the remaining games, then there’s nothing anyone else can do about it. We know what is at stake, so we must go out there and win.

For Lecce, the defeat compounds their relegation worries. They currently sit 17th in the table, four points above the drop zone, highlighting the high stakes of their remaining matches. The victory for Juventus, while securing essential points, also underscores their ongoing struggle to consistently convert dominance into more goals, a point coach Luciano Spalletti acknowledged with frustration.

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We’ve been saying for a while that we keep doing this, we score early and then don’t finish the games off. It’s like a cut and paste of previous mistakes.

Vlahovic's early strike, a powerful finish following a cross from Andrea Cambiaso, set the tone for the match. Despite creating numerous opportunities, Juventus was unable to extend their lead, with VAR interventions disallowing two further goals. Nevertheless, the three points secured are paramount for Juventus's European ambitions, while Lecce faces an uphill battle to retain their Serie A status.

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A game like this one cannot end 1-0. We barely allowed them to get into our half. There were so many situations where we had two attacking options and always went for the third worst one. That’s just what we are like.