The comeback trail: Five key dates for title-winning Juventus

Previously known for setting records and leaving the rest of Serie A in its way, Juventus struggled to find its groove in the early part of the 2015-16 season.

But the Old Lady eventually showed the form and the character that turned it into a dynasty.

Here are five key games that played a role in a record-equalling fifth consecutive Serie A title:

Sassuolo 1 Juventus 0 (Matchday 10, October 28)

As the champion's dismal start to its title defence continued, defeat to Sassuolo must have had Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri turning in his sleep. After all, it was after a spectacular 4-3 reverse to the notoriously tough Tuscan side in January 2014, after his AC Milan side had lead 3-0, that Allegri was sacked as coach of the Rossoneri. Juventus, however, kept faith with Allegri, who had led Juve to its first Champions League final in 12 years during his first season in charge. But this time, defeat to Sassuolo provided the spur that sent the Bianconeri on an unbeaten run that has yet to end. With three games remaining, Juve hasn't lost in 25 games.

Carpi 2 Juventus 3 (Matchday 17, December 20)

A tough trip to relegation battler Carpi could have interrupted that winning streak, and it indeed provided a little scare. Juventus built a 3-1 lead and looked to secure an easy win, but an own goal by Leonardo Bonucci in 92nd minute threw everything in doubt. The visitor would escape with all three points, though Allegri came away disappointed. "Today we did well up until five minutes from the end," he said after the final whistle. "We need to let this be a lesson for us." And it was: No single Serie A team has managed to score twice on Juventus since.

Juventus 1 Napoli 0 (Matchday 25, February 13)

Having underlined its title credentials, and compounded Juve's dismal start to the season with a 2-1 victory over the champion in Naples at the end of September, Napoli was less formidable in the corresponding away fixture five months later. A day before Valentine's Day, there was no love lost between the Scudetto rivals in a tense encounter that was settled by Simone Zaza's 88th minute strike. It was not a hammer blow, but promptly reminded Napoli that Juve's early season woes were all but a distant memory.

Juventus 1 Empoli 0 (Matchday 31, April 2)

A week after putting tough-talking Torino in its place with a 4-1 derby win at the Stadio Olimpico, Juve struggled to find the net against a far more resilient Empoli when the league minnow visited Turin in late March. It finished only 1-0 at Juventus Stadium thanks to Mario Mandzukic's 44th-minute strike, but Napoli's 3-1 away defeat at Udinese the next day - where 30-goal striker Gonzalo Higuain saw red for lashing out at the referee and was later handed a three-match ban - saw Juve take a significant step towards the crown by stretching its lead over the Azzurri to six points.

Fiorentina 1 Juventus 2 (Matchday 35, April 24)

Given a 39th-minute lead by Mandzukic, Juve's hopes of a slim win from a tough trip to Fiorentina were kept in check during a dramatic finale that saw Nikola Kalinic level nine minutes from time. But Alvaro Morata came off the bench and just two minutes after Kalinic's strike, the Spaniard struck from close range following a messy corner. The champion put one hand on the title when Gianluigi Buffon saved a last-gasp penalty from Kalinic, and secured it when Napoli lost 1-0 at Roma on Monday.

- With files from theScore