Juve topple Balotelli’s Brescia sans Ronaldo

Mario Balotelli made his first start for Brescia but the promoted northerners still fell to a 2-1 defeat which sent champions Juventus top of Serie A on Tuesday.

Former Manchester City and Inter Milan striker Balotelli has returned to Italy to play for his hometown club, but his debut was delayed as he sat out a four-game suspension for previous club Marseille.

Juventus were without Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, rested with a slight thigh problem, but the champions recovered from going behind after less than four minutes to an Alfredo Donnarumma goal -- his fourth in five games.

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny got two hands to Donnarumma’s powerful strike, but could only push the ball into the net. Brescia defender Jhon Chancellor let the champions off the hook five minutes before the break, diverting the ball into his own goal, with Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic completing the comeback, volleying in on 63 minutes.

Balotelli, back in Italy for the first time since 2016, was denied after half an hour with Polish keeper Szczesny tipping his 30-yard free-kick over the bar.

Reeling after going behind, Juventus pushed forward with Gonzalo Higuain threatening for the visitors and Aaron Ramsey nodding over. The equaliser came when Brescia goalkeeper Jesse Joronen shoved a Paulo Dybala corner into Chancellor’s path.

Pjanic drilled in the winner after Dybala struck his free-kick into the wall and the Bosnian met the loose ball with a rasping volley.

Federico Bernardeschi came on for Ramsey in the 70th minute, with Dybala making way for Blaise Matuidi ten minutes later with the visitors holding on for all three points.