Juventus spirit pleases goalscorer Dybala

Juventus forward Paulo Dybala praised the spirit of his team-mates as the dismal start to their Serie A defence continued with a 1-1 against Chievo on Saturday.

Massimiliano Allegri’s champions were six minutes away suffering a third defeat in three league matches this season before Dybala converted from the penalty spot.

That followed goals in the Italian Super Cup triumph over Lazio and 2-1 loss at Roma last time out for the close-season signing from Palermo.

But Juventus’ other new faces have failed to make a similar impression, while the departure of key men Carlos Tevez, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal is being keenly felt.

“There’s a lot of new players and we need to keep working very hard to return to winning ways,” he told Juventus’ official website.

“Tonight was a difficult match and Chievo took their chance very well. We didn’t let our heads drop, but kept pressing for an equaliser and played well. We just weren’t able to win.”

Juventus’ next opportunity to rediscover the winning feeling comes in the UEFA Champions League at Manchester City on Tuesday and it is a game that Dybala is relishing.

“It will be a special match for me, but we need to stay focused over the next three days,” he added.