Juventus made a confident return to European action on Wednesday, beating the Slovakian champions Artmedia Bratislava 4-0 in the first leg of their Champions League Uefa the third qualifying round tie.
Mauro Camoranesi, Alessandro Del Piero, Giorgio Chiellini and Nicola Legrottaglie scored as the Turin giants ended a two-year period of absence of competition won in 1985 and 1996 after winning promotion back to the top flight after the fall of 2006 to coincide and ending with the setting third in Serie A last season to qualify.
They showed no signs of being rusty from the time outside Europe and Italy midfielder Camoranesi rifle home a loose ball in just the seventh minute after Zdenek Grygera career in the box. French Striker David Trezeguet scored almost 10 minutes later when slipped into a direct diverted Cristian Molinaro just cross the near post.
Captain Del Piero doubled the advantage in style at 26, finding the net with a powerful right-footed shot from outside the area. Juventus kept up the pressure and Vincenzo Iaquinta should have scored at the 33 after that Del Piero through it to goal, but a moment of hesitation allowed the Slovakian defence to clear the danger.
Defending Chiellini, Italy another international leap high to head a Camoranesi FreeKick past vehicles Artmedia keeper Lubos Kamenár and make it 3-0 six minutes before half time. Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen, making his competitive debut for Juventus after moving from Seville, forcing a good save from Kamenica hand with a powerful shot just after the break and Del Piero fired just over the bar from a distance.
The visitors had their only serious chance in 55 minutes when substitute Branislav Obzera Sprint in the area, but Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon blocked the danger. The action was soon at the other end and again Iaquinta hit the post with a low drive in the 62nd.
Defending Legrottaglie headed home in the final stages to complete the route and make the August 27 back in Bratislava a formality. Juventus will be particularly satisfied with the result because it came into the game without injured defender Dario Knezevic Croatia and midfielders Marco Marchionni and Cristiano Zanetti, both out for a month with thigh muscle problems.
The coach Claudio Ranieri was also unable to field Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, who was suspended after being sent away from Juve in the last Champions League game, with goals that saw Arsenal draw 2-0 on aggregate to leave the quarter-finals of stage competition in April 2006.
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