Ex-Boro and Southampton midfielder Gaston Ramirez 'sometimes' has a magical wand of a left foot and we pulls it out on this occasion, whipping a crisp free-kick into the box.

Juve cannot deal with it but the ball has too much pace on it and in the end Alex Ferrari gives a backpass of an effort to goalkeeper Mattia Perin.

Juve getting frustrated?

France World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi into the book for a trip on Karol Linetty.

And Sampdoria defender Alex Ferrari is the next one quickly yellow carded for what he deems to be dangerous play with a overhead kick that almost decapitates Alex Sandro.

Fabio Quagliarella is the first player to score in nine successive Serie A appearances since Juve's David Trezeguet from October to December 2005.

Given!

The ref takes a few minutes to look at it on the monitor and decides it is a deliberate handball from Emre Can.

A golden opportunity for the visitors to level.

It HAS hit Emre Can on the arm...deliberate?

Video Assistant Refereepublished at 29 mins

29 mins

Juventus 1-0 Sampdoria

What now??

Apparently looking at a handball from Emre Can in the box.

The referee is trotting over to the pitchside monitor.

Sampdoria have a corner which causes a bit of confusion at the back for Juventus, with Albin Ekdal flicking it on at the near post and needing a black and white shirt to head it off the line.

Wonder if Jacobo Sala is related to former AC Milan defender Luigi Sala?

Niche Serie A reference that.

Lovely move from Juventus and agonisingly close to a second.

Juve centre-back Giorgio Chiellini wins the ball in his own half, dispossession Fabio Quagliarella and then goes on a march up front.

Boss Max Allegri watches on through his fingers as Chiellini cuts the ball back for Paulo Dybala, but the Argentine's curled strike from the edge of the box is just the wrong side of the post.

Shades of Robbie Fowler from Dybala there, the first time strike, the bodyshape.

Veteran striker and ex-Juventus man Fabio Quagliarella has not had a touch yet.

Sampdoria have had little to feed off today.

Belgian Dennis Praet gets forward and scuffs a shot wide of Mattia Perin's left-hand post.

Cristiano Ronaldo is on it today.

A skip, a lollipop and a roll off the studs over the ball - Samp full-back Jacopo Sala is in for a long morning/afternoon.

The goalscorer lays the ball off for Alex Sandro but the Juve full-backs shot is straight at Emil Audero.

As you were.

*confused face emoji*

Video Assistant Refereepublished at 13 mins

13 mins

Juventus 1-0 Sampdoria

Something is being checked here, not sure what. Even the players look a bit bemused.

And the only way to stop the Juve players is to dish out some rough stuff.

Dennis Praet goes in hard on the fleet-footed Alex Sandro, which the referee pulls up.

Just a word this time for the Sampdoria midfielder, he will be into the book for the next one.

Sampdoria face an almost impossible task from this position, it was difficult before kick-off but the gameplan has been shredded up and chucked out of the window after that shocking start.

Juve are working the ball in the final third between Paulo Dybala and Blaise Matuidi as they hunt a second, but the visitors manage to scramble clear.

Image source, Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo is the first Portuguese player to score 13 Serie A goals in a single season. Rui Barros netted 12 for Juventus in 1988-89.

Off we go at Allianz Stadium.