Juventus lost three matches en route to capturing the Serie A title last season. The Bianconeri have already lost four this season.
The latest setback came Wednesday, as the defending champion, under a deluge at the Mapei Stadium, fell 1-0 to Sassuolo, with a stunning free-kick from Nicola Sansone in the opening half doing the damage.
When you leave Gianluigi Buffon rooted to the spot, you know you did something right.
Juventus, missing Claudio Marchisio after the influential midfielder came down with the flu prior to the match and deciding, strangely, to rest Sami Khedira, saw Giorgio Chiellini receive his marching orders in the 39th minute, getting a second yellow card and putting his team in a hole it could not dig out of.
The result leaves the club languishing in 12th in the Serie A table, 11 points adrift of league-leader Roma. Sassuolo, meanwhile, sits fifth, and continues to be the bright surprise of the campaign thus far.
