Allegri erupts as Cuadrado saves Juventus' blushes

Milan - A first-half header from Juan Cuadrado delivered a 1-0 win for a jittery Juventus at Sampdoria on Sunday, during which infuriated coach Massimiliano Allegri kicked kit bags on the touchline.

Juve's 24th league win of the campaign moved the five-time defending champion 10 points clear of Napoli after the latter's earlier 3-2 win at Empoli, while Roma can restore an eight-point deficit with a home win against Sassuolo later in the day.

But days after sealing a mouthwatering Champions League quarter-final matchup with Barcelona, it was far from a trademark Juventus performance at the Luigi Ferraris stadium.

Cuadrado rose to meet a great delivery from Kwadwo Asamoah after just seven minutes to put Juve ahead, but after losing playmaker Paulo Dybala to injury early on, the Turin giant laboured for the remainder.

Injuries in midfield and defence forced Allegri to ring the changes, Claudio Marchisio and Alex Sandro joining defender Giorgio Chiellini on the bench while Leonardo Bonucci was rested to avoid a ban ahead of an upcoming clash with Napoli.

But the 27th-minute loss of Dybala - who hit the winner from the spot over Porto on Tuesday - upset Juve's plans.

Bruno Fernandes' volley tested Gianluigi Buffon in the Juve net, while at the other end Samp 'keeper Christian Puggioni flew to fingertip substitute Marko Pjaca's angled drive around the post on the stroke of halftime.

If Allegri hoped for improvement, he was to be left disappointed by a messy second half.

Former Juve striker Fabio Quagliarella tested Buffon five minutes after the interval, and at the other end Gonzalo Higuain was offside when he ran through the defence to volley over from six yards.

Allegri's nerves were frayed when Asamoah panicked while under pressure in the area, Samp regaining possession for a cross that saw Buffon forced into action at his far post.

On the counter, Luis Muriel cut inside Daniele Rugani to unselfishly slip through for Patrik Schick, who tripped as he battled for possession with Asamoah.

The errors were piling up for Juve in attack too, Higuain collecting Pjaca's ball from the left only to overhit his pass for Cuadrado.

Allegri was growing more frustrated, and erupted 12 minutes from the end when Dani Alves came off worst in a fair challenge with Vasco Regini.