Paulo Dybala scored a superb goal before leaving the pitch in tears with an injury as Juventus beat Sampdoria 3-2 in Turin on Sunday.
In the former serial champions’ first home victory of the Serie A season, the Argentina international fired a low shot into the bottom corner after 10 minutes.
But he limped off soon after with an apparent muscular problem, which could rule him out of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash with European champions Chelsea.
Leonardo Bonucci doubled Juve’s advantage from the penalty kick spot before Maya Yoshida quickly pulled one back for Sampdoria.
Yoshida’s goal stretched the home side’s run without a league clean sheet to 20 games.
Manuel Locatelli scored his first goal for the Bianconeri in the second half, but Antonio Candreva’s late strike meant Juve had a nervy ending before claiming their second consecutive league win.
“It was fundamental to win today and we won. We say things in the dressing room that stay there, but now we must continue like this,” Locatelli told reporters.
“I hope Dybala’s injury is nothing. He is our champion and I hope he is back as soon as possible.”
Massimiliano Allegri’s side climb to ninth place in the table on eight points, three points clear of 14th-placed Sampdoria but eight adrift of league leaders AC Milan.
Juventus won their first league game of 2021/2022 at the fifth attempt against Spezia on Wednesday, and they started strongly against Sampdoria when Dybala drilled home the opener.
Federico Chiesa shot wide from a good position and Alvaro Morata was denied by Emil Audero as Juve pushed for a second.
But their positive start was dampened by Dybala’s tearful exit midway through the first half.
Bonucci doubled the lead from the penalty kick spot after a Chiesa shot struck Nicola Murru’s arm, but less than two minutes later Yoshida pulled one back with a header.
The Japanese defender’s goal means Juventus have not kept a Serie A clean sheet since beating Spezia 3-0 on March 2.
Dejan Kulusevski pounced on a slack pass inside the Sampdoria penalty box and teed up Locatelli on the edge of the six-yard box for Juve’s third.
But Candreva’s 83rd-minute strike made for a tense ending.
