# Juventus Start Strong: Bench Delivers Against Parma as Bianconeri Join Early Serie A Leaders
After90
Juventus continued their perfect Serie A start with a 2-0 win over Parma, as substitutes Nicolás González and Teun Koopmeiners delivered the decisive goals in the second half.
Juventus continued their perfect start to the 2026/27 Serie A season with a 2-0 victory over Parma, collecting a second consecutive win and moving onto six points from their opening two matches.
But the scoreline alone does not tell the full story.
Juventus controlled possession, dominated the shooting numbers and consistently pushed Parma back, yet the breakthrough did not arrive until the second half.
The decisive difference eventually came from the bench.
Nicolás González scored just six minutes after coming on, before Teun Koopmeiners entered late and needed only two minutes to add the second.
With just 180 minutes of league football played, it is still far too early for major conclusions.
But Juventus have already delivered one important message:
They are not wasting points at the start of this season.
Juventus dominate, but the breakthrough takes time
From the opening stages, the balance of the match largely favored Juventus.
The hosts finished with 58% possession compared with Parma's 42%, but the bigger difference appeared in their attacking output.
Juventus attempted 20 shots, while Parma managed only four.
They also won 10 corners compared with Parma's two, while completing their passing at 90% accuracy, compared with 84% for the visitors.
The expected-goals numbers underline the difference even more clearly.
| Statistic | Juventus | Parma |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 58% | 42% |
| Shots | 20 | 4 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 3 |
| Expected Goals | 1.66 | 0.22 |
| Corners | 10 | 2 |
| Pass Accuracy | 90% | 84% |
| Fouls | 23 | 11 |
The 1.66 to 0.22 xG advantage shows that Juventus were not simply keeping the ball — they were producing significantly more meaningful attacking situations.
Parma stayed in the contest for a long period, but they never generated enough attacking volume to seriously challenge Juventus' overall control.
Minute 57: the bench begins to change the game
With the score still goalless, Juventus turned to their substitutes.
In the 57th minute, two changes were made, including the introduction of Nicolás González in place of Jonathan David.
The Argentine did not need long to make an impact.
Just six minutes later, in the 63rd minute, González scored the opening goal and finally gave Juventus the reward their pressure had been building toward.
After 20 attempts over the course of the match, the breakthrough ultimately came through a player who had started the night on the bench.
That became one of the defining themes of the game.
Koopmeiners needs only two minutes
If González provided the first demonstration of Juventus' bench strength, Teun Koopmeiners provided the second.
The Dutch midfielder entered in the 86th minute.
By the 88th, he was on the scoresheet.
Manuel Locatelli supplied the assist, with Koopmeiners finishing the move to make it 2-0 and effectively end Parma's hopes of taking anything from the contest.
Both Juventus goals therefore came from substitutes.
For a club hoping to compete across a long season, that may prove to be one of the most encouraging aspects of the performance.
A successful campaign requires more than a strong starting XI.
It requires options capable of changing matches when the original plan is not producing the required result.
Against Parma, Juventus found those answers on the bench.
Strong attacking numbers — and very little allowed at the other end
Parma recorded three shots on target from only four total attempts, but their overall attacking threat remained limited.
Their expected-goals total finished at just 0.22.
That number matters.
Juventus did not simply score twice and keep a clean sheet; they also prevented Parma from consistently creating high-quality opportunities.
At the other end, Juventus generated 20 shots and 10 corners, demonstrating sustained territorial and attacking superiority.
If there was one concern, it was how long they required to convert that superiority into goals.
Against stronger opponents, Juventus may not be given 20 attempts before finding the breakthrough.
Parma's difficult start continues
For Parma, the opening weeks of the season have become increasingly uncomfortable.
According to After90's verified data, Parma sit 17th with:
Two matches. Two defeats. Zero points.
Against Juventus, the problem was not simply having less possession.
It was the enormous difference in attacking production.
Four shots compared with 20 gives a team very little margin for error, particularly against an opponent capable of introducing players such as González and Koopmeiners from the bench.
There is still a long season ahead, but beginning the campaign without a point from the opening two matches already increases the importance of Parma's next fixtures.
Juventus' historical dominance over Parma continues
The latest result also extends Juventus' strong head-to-head record in this matchup.
According to the After90 database, the teams have met 18 times:
- Juventus wins: 12
- Draws: 4
- Parma wins: 2
Recent meetings also underline Juventus' advantage:
- Parma 1-4 Juventus — February 2026
- Juventus 2-0 Parma — August 2025
- Parma 1-0 Juventus — April 2025
- Juventus 2-2 Parma — October 2024
- Juventus 3-1 Parma — April 2021
Another 2-0 victory now adds to that historical edge.
What is happening in Serie A?
Only two rounds into the season, it is far too early to describe the title race as established.
The early picture, however, is already becoming interesting.
Juventus have moved onto six points from two matches, maintaining a perfect start to the campaign.
AC Milan have also opened the season with consecutive victories, meaning the first weeks of Serie A have already placed two of Italy's biggest clubs among the early pace-setters.
The table remains provisional while Matchday 2 is still being completed.
Inter, the defending champions, as well as Napoli and Roma, also entered the second round after winning their opening fixtures.
That means the early standings should be treated cautiously.
But Juventus have already completed the most important task available to them:
Six points from six.
The next test is very different
The early schedule now becomes considerably more demanding.
Juventus are set to face AC Milan in Matchday 3, creating one of the first major clashes of the new Serie A season.
That match should provide a clearer indication of where Juventus currently stand.
Against Parma, they controlled possession, produced 20 shots and were able to keep searching for a breakthrough until their substitutes changed the game.
Against Milan, those opportunities may be significantly harder to find.
That is why the Parma result is important — but the next match could be far more revealing.
For now, Juventus have done everything required of them.
Two matches. Two wins. Six points.
And a perfect start ahead of their first major test.
External Sources
- Lega Serie A — Official Juventus vs Parma match coverage and Serie A context.
- Reuters — Match report and analysis of Juventus' substitutes influencing the 2-0 victory.
- Reuters — Early-season Serie A context involving Inter and the other leading contenders.
- AC Milan Official Website — Milan's Matchday 2 result and perfect start to the season.
All match statistics, goals, substitutions and head-to-head figures used in this report come exclusively from the verified After90Sports dataset.