Juventus 4-2 Sampdoria: Controversial Rabiot goal helps spare Bianconeri blushes

Luck was on Juventus’ side as they squeezed past relegation-threatened Sampdoria, who had recovered from 2-0 down at the Allianz Stadium.

Adrien Rabiot’s controversial strike helped to spare Juventus’ blushes as they beat bottom side Sampdoria 4-2 in Serie A.

The France international put his side ahead in a close encounter at the Allianz Stadium with his second goal to make it 3-2, despite appearing to be in control of the ball before volleying home.

Gleison Bremer and Rabiot scored with headers to put Massimiliano Allegri’s side 2-0 up, but Sampdoria responded before half-time by striking twice in as many minutes through Tommaso Augello and Filip Djuricic.

But Rabiot restored the visitors’ advantage after the break and despite Dušan Vlahovic’s unconverted penalty, Juve held on for an eighth home win over the Blucerchiati when substitute Matias Soule added a late fourth.

Despite a nervous start, Juventus broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when Bremer rose above the defense to head in a Filip Kostic corner.

He doubled the visitors’ lead with another header in the 26th minute when Rabiot buried Fabio Miretti’s inviting cross.

But Sampdoria – the season’s lowest scorers in Europe’s top five leagues before Sunday – responded five minutes later when Augello neatly headed home Mehdi Leris’ deflected cross.

And they were level within 72 seconds when Djuricic arrived late in the box to head home Alessandro Zanoli’s low cross.

Juve controversially regained the lead in the 64th minute, VAR awarding Rabiot a second goal despite the ball appearing to hit the midfielder on the arm before volleying brilliantly into the top corner.

Vlahovic missed an opportunity to end the game, his penalty hitting the post after Augello brought down substitute Juan Cuadrado, but the visitors sealed the points in stoppage time, Soule nodding in his first senior goal after Vlahovic’s initial header hit the crossbar.