channel 4
Juventus 1 - 1 Fiorentina
Vargas 5 (F), Amauri 19 (J)
Stadio Olimpico
Amauri ended his eight-month drought to cancel out Juan Manuel Vargas, but the 1-1 draw with Fiorentina extends Juventus' winless streak to five official games.
The honeymoon period for Ciro Ferrara seemed to be over after a four-match winless streak in all competition, so it was imperative to get back on track against their Tuscan arch-rivals. It was particularly heated for Marco Marchionni, Felipe Melo and Cristiano Zanetti, all facing their former teammates after summer moves.
Momo Sissoko made his seasonal debut after a long injury lay-off and within 60 seconds was booked for simulation.
Fiorentina took the lead with a classic counter-attack in Turin. Stevan Jovetic surged forward and slipped a smart slide-rule pass through for Juan Manuel Vargas to beat Gigi Buffon at full stretch.
Juve fought back as Sissoko exchanged passes with Diego to go clear on goal, but Alessandro Gamberini's sliding tackle proved decisive just as the former Liverpool midfielder was pulling the trigger from nine yards.
Moments later Marchionni's poor clearance created another opportunity when Vincenzo Iaquinta turned his marker on the penalty spot only to hit it straight at Sebastien Frey from point-blank range.
It was so nearly 1-1 after 18 minutes, as a perfect low Fabio Grosso cross from the left flashed across the face of goal with Iaquinta getting the touch to accidentally push it both wide and past Amauri, who was in a better position from a yard.
The pressure was building and the goal inevitably came to draw Juventus level. Amauri hadn't scored since February, but he was in the right place to tap in when Iaquinta sprung the offside trap from Christian Poulsen's through ball and the scuffed angled drive turned into an assist for the Brazilian.
Marchionni picked up an injury and made way for Mario Alberto Santana and a more attack-minded Viola line-up. Gianluca Comotto's snapshot was deflected over off Melo and Fiorentina got the ball in the back of the net from a Vargas free kick, but the whistle had already been blown for Dario Dainelli's shirt-tug on Giorgio Chiellini.
Jovetic fired at Buffon when he perhaps should've passed to Alberto Gilardino, then the Montenegrin's first touch let him down when latching on to a Vargas cross from six yards.
Vargas was very close to scoring a second in first half stoppages, as he got down the left and the angled daisy-cutter was fingertipped past the far post, Buffon getting just enough of a touch to deny him a brace.
Straight after the restart Juventus created a wonderful opportunity with Diego and Iaquinta combining, but Frey used an outstretched foot to deny Sissoko's fierce strike from six yards. Sissoko threatened again with a header that struck teammate Iaquinta, but Fiorentina went on the counter in the same move and Jovetic drilled just wide.
Frey held a Grosso snapshot from the edge of the box and Buffon smothered Santana's attempt. Poulsen charged down Riccardo Montolivo's strike and an Amauri header was plucked off the line.
Melo was allowed a free header from a corner, but steered it over the bar. Former Juve player Adrian Mutu and Manuel Pasqual replaced Jovetic and Vargas, while Mauro Camoranesi came on for Sissoko as Juve switched to a 4-2-3-1.
Amauri turned on a sixpence to drill inches wide, but Fiorentina started to move the ball around well, as Mutu's shot was charged down and he then nodded over.
Full-back Paolo De Ceglie was introduced for Iaquinta as part of the attacking trio supporting Amauri, but soon after Ferrara switched again to a 4-4-2 with David Trezeguet replacing Diego.
Gilardino scored four goals in his last two games for Italy, but missed a sitter in the final minutes when he scuffed at a deflected Mutu cross.