Juventus fight back to draw Atalanta 3-3 in 1st match since points deduction

Milan, Jan 22, 2023 (AFP) - Juventus played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Atalanta in their first match since being slapped with a massive points deduction for illicit transfer activity.

Italy's biggest football club was rocked on Friday by the Italian Football Federation's decision to dock it 15 points after ruling it had managed capital gains from transfers to artificially benefit their accounts.

That decision - which leaves Juventus midtable in Italy's top flight on 23 points - drew howls of disapproval from fans at the Allianz Stadium before a hugely entertaining encounter and was blasted as "unjust and unequal" by CEO Maurizio Scanavino before the match.

But the the team showed fight to twice come back from going behind to Ademola Lookman goals to draw an exciting encounter, with Danilo's drive midway through the second half eventually earning his team a point.

Juventus had been leading at halftime when Angel Di Maria's 25th-minute penalty cancelled out Lookman's early opener before Arkadiusz Milik's superb volley nine minutes later.

But the hosts were rocked again when Nigeria forward Lookman sent Joakim Maehle through to level seconds after the break.

Lookman then thumped home a perfect header in the 53rd minute to take his tally in his debut Serie A season to 11 before Danilo made sure both teams would share the spoils.