Twenty shots, one goal and a crossbar: Spalletti gets away with it at the Stirpe

Luciano Spalletti's first league game as Juventus coach ended with three points and a slightly nervous look on his face. One goal from twenty shots will do that.

Gleison Bremer scored it on 22 minutes, rising to meet Francisco Conceição's corner delivery and heading past the Frosinone goalkeeper. That was the whole scoring, in a game Juventus controlled with 63% of the ball and then spent an hour failing to close out.

The chances Juventus did not take

Two minutes before the goal, Randal Kolo Muani skied one over from inside the six-yard box after a Bremer flick-on. On 43', Pierre Kalulu hit the post and Kenan Yıldız's rebound was saved. Just after the break, Conceição put Zeki Çelik's cutback over the crossbar, then dragged another effort past the left post later on.

1.99 expected goals against 0.45. Four big chances created against none. On the numbers this was a comfortable away win, and it never once felt like one.

Frosinone made it awkward

Massimiliano Alvini's side, up from Serie B as runners-up, were not there to be admired. They had 11 shots of their own, forced Giacomo Calò's effort onto a Guglielmo Vicario save, and had the last real moment of the night.

Vicario went down with cramp in the final minute and Mattia Perin came on cold. Moments later Gabriele Calvani got a free header on a corner and Juventus were rescued by the woodwork. A debut goalkeeper hobbling off, a replacement beaten, and the frame of the goal keeping the clean sheet. ⚽

Spalletti will take it. Juventus have now gone 34 Serie A games without losing when they score first, a run stretching back to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Napoli in January 2025.

What matchday 1 set up

Neither side stayed still after this result. Frosinone went to Fiorentina and won 3-0, beat Venezia 3-2 at the Stirpe, drew 1-1 away at Genoa, then beat Como 2-0 at home — three wins, a draw and the one defeat suffered here. Five rounds in, that run has Alvini's promoted side 4th in Serie A with 10 points, ahead of Juventus on the table they shared a pitch with on the opening weekend.

Juventus's next five read almost the same shape from the other side: a 2-0 win over Parma at the Allianz Stadium, a 1-1 draw with AC Milan, a 2-3 defeat at Sassuolo — still their only loss since this one — and a 2-0 win over Atalanta last time out. Same points tally as Frosinone, same three wins, one draw, one loss. Juventus sit 5th only on goal difference, +4 against Frosinone's +5, with both clubs inside a top six that also holds Lazio and Como on 10 points apiece.

That closeness makes the Stirpe header look more significant in hindsight than it did on the night. Both clubs have taken 10 points from five games and sit either side of Lazio and Como in a congested Serie A top six — with the sides level on points and Frosinone's goal difference only one better than Juventus's, that solitary Bremer header from matchday 1 is part of what separates 4th from 5th five rounds later.

Match facts

• 20' — Randal Kolo Muani (Juventus) misses from close range after a Bremer flick-on
• 22' — Gleison Bremer (Juventus), header, assist Francisco Conceição
• 43' — Pierre Kalulu (Juventus) hits the post, Kenan Yıldız's follow-up saved
• 90' — Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus) off with cramp, Mattia Perin on
• Stoppage time — Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone) heads against the woodwork
• Half-time: Frosinone 0-1 Juventus
• Stadio Benito Stirpe, Frosinone — Serie A matchday 1, Sunday 23 August 2026

What's next

Juventus host Parma at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday 29 August, a home debut for Spalletti and a chance to convert some of those shots. Frosinone go to Fiorentina at the Franchi on Sunday 30 August, looking for a first point back in the top flight.