🇮🇹 Arturo Vidal's Judas kiss could prove Juventus's kiss of death | OneFootball

It took some time for the fireworks to die down outside San Siro prior to Sunday’s Derby d’Italia.

Those were let off by Inter’s Curva Nord Ultras prior to kick-off as a show of encouragement to their team. It had been four-and-a-half years since they last beat Juventus.

But no sooner had those fireworks subsided, than the real ones began.

It didn’t take long for them either, with former Juventus hero Arturo Vidal popping up in the area after just 12 minutes to plant a header into the corner of the net, becoming only the eighth man to score for both sides in this fixture.

That crucial goal, from a man who has had his critics this season, came after he had been captured on camera kissing the Juventus crest on his old friend Giorgio Chiellini’s chest as he greeted him prior to the game.

After the game, the Chilean insisted that the placing of his lips was unintentional and he was merely expressing his affection to his former team-mate but there was no mistake about what happened next.

His Judas kiss is one that could prove fatal for his old club’s Scudetto hopes, setting the Nerazzurri on their way to a 2-0 win that leaves Juventus in a tricky spot.

They now trail the top two by seven points, albeit with the benefit of a difficult game in hand, and while there were encouraging signs in their previous games, their lifeless showing in this one causes concern again.

It was much too passive at times and when they did attempt to be more direct, it often came by way of panicked balls in the direction of their attackers in a bid to cause chaos, which Inter dealt with comfortably.

By contrast, Antonio Conte’s side were sharp and clinical, spearheaded by a sensational showing from Nicolò Barella.

He provided the cross with his left foot for Vidal’s opener before latching onto a perfect (if perhaps unintentional) Alessandro Bastoni through ball to rifle in the game-clinching second with his right foot.

That display of devastating prowess with both feet is just the latest example of why the ex-Cagliari man is undoubtedly now Italy’s best midfielder, as he also set a new season high for assists with five, while also becoming the youngest player under the age of 24 to reach double figures for Serie A goals.

His performance was almost a perfect combination of the playing style of both coaches in the dugout: doubling the inexhaustible energy and defensive work rate of Antonio Conte with the game reading, precise passing and guile of Andrea Pirlo.

There is quite clearly still a long way to go in this Scudetto race but when it comes to these two sides, thanks to the brilliance of Barella, it is now advantage Inter.

And elsewhere …

😱 Goal of the Weekend

Talk about channeling your inner Diego Maradona, Lorenzo.

🥇 Player of the Weekend

Barella shone, Insigne was a menace, Simy starred against Benevento but when you score twice in one of the biggest derbies in world football, you have to top the podium.