Juve edge closer to top six after thrilling win over Sampdoria

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Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot scored in each half to help secure a 4-2 victory over bottom club Sampdoria in a thrilling game on Sunday that lifted his side to seventh place and within sight of the last European spot.

Massimiliano Allegri's Turin outfit now have 38 points and are four behind sixth-placed Atalanta.

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Injury prone Juve were without several key players, with midfielder Paul Pogba out due to a muscle problem sustained in training. Angel Di Maria, Federico Chiesa and Alex Sandro were also sidelined with injuries they picked up in the 1-0 Europa League victory at home to German side SC Freiburg on Thursday.

"This morning Pogba was taking free kicks and felt a twinge in his adductor. He will have tests tomorrow but will certainly not be there on Thursday or next Sunday so we'll see him after the break for international duty," Allegri told DAZN.

Gleison Bremer put Juve ahead with a header after 11 minutes when he outjumped the Sampdoria defence.

Rabiot doubled the lead with another header after 26 minutes when he met Fabio Miretti's cross from the right.

The visitors then scored twice in 72 seconds just after the half-hour when Tommaso Augello tapped in a deflected shot before Filip Djuricic sent the Allianz Stadium into a shocked silence when he took a pass from the byline and fired into the corner.

Sampdoria chased another goal but to no avail and Juve's players went in at halftime with loud boos from the stands.

"I think the team must improve in game management," Allegri added. "We were leading 2-0, we had to close up the spaces and go on the counter-attack.

"The older defenders should have told off the younger ones and got them back into position. These are situations you get when players haven't had many games for Juventus."

However, Rabiot became the hero of the night for the home supporters when he scored his second goal of the match after 64 minutes with a volley from the edge of the box.

The drama continued five minutes later when Dusan Vlahovic failed to convert a penalty for the home side after Juan Cuadrado was tripped by Tommas Augello.

The constant pressure in the last part of the match paid off for Juve though when Matias Soule headed in the rebound after a save by Sampdoria's Martin Turk four minutes into stoppage time.

The defeat leaves the Genoa club bottom with 12 points from 26 matches, 12 points adrift of the safety zone and at risk of ending their 11-year streak in the top flight.