New coach Thiago Motta led Juventus to a comfortable 3-0 win over newly promoted Como in their opening Serie A game at a sold-out Allianz Stadium, raising hopes of a recovery at the Turin-based club.
Striker Samuel Mbangula and winger Timothy Weah scored in the first half, both scoring their first goals for Juve in Serie A, before Andrea Cambiaso added the third from distance late in the game.
A rejuvenated Juventus are entering a new chapter under Motta, who led Bologna to the Champions League last season and will now hope to bring the Serie A title to Turin for the first time in four years.
“I'm satisfied with the performance but above all with the result. We deserved to win,” said Motta at a press conference. “Today I liked the defensive phase, understanding the moment to press, regrouping, the disposition of the attackers, of Dusan [Vlahovic] to start the first pressing.
“I'm satisfied. We can also improve there and we're going to try everything. I think this team can and should do it.”
It was a tough night for visitors Como, who challenged Juve for possession but lacked the quality to create clear-cut chances on their return to Italy's top flight after 21 years.
Como, coached by former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, sealed promotion to Serie A after finishing second in the Italian second division last season, three points behind Serie B champions Parma.
Juventus looked confident from the start and Dusan Vlahovic threatened Como's goal in the 20th minute when his header went wide, before Mbangula put them ahead in the 23rd with a solo finish.
The 20-year-old fired a low shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner on his first-team debut after a season with Juve's reserves.
Mbangula also became the youngest Belgian goalscorer in Serie A history and the first Belgian player to score in the Italian top flight for Juve.
Juventus extended their lead in first-half stoppage time through Weah, who headed home a Kenan Yildiz cross only to see the ball bounce off the inside of the bar.
Weah was substituted at half-time with an apparent injury and was replaced by Nicolò Savona.
The home side got off to a good start and Vlahovic thought he had made it 3-0 just after the break, heading in a Juan Cabal cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Cambiaso, however, added the third goal in the final minutes.
Atalanta beat Lecce 4-0 on Monday, with two goals from Marco Brescianini and Mateo Retegui.
Juventus, who finished third behind Inter and AC Milan last season to secure their return to the Champions League after a one-year absence, travel to Hellas Verona on August 26.
As he will visit Cagliari that same day.
