A goalless first-half in the Supercoppa Italiana started and finished with Cristiano Ronaldo thumping speculative efforts into the deserted stand behind the goal as he chased a record. Or was it a record?
The most notable Juventus contribution in between was Wojciech Szczesny's incredible point-blank save to stop Hirving Lozano giving Napoli the lead with a flying header.
It was far from the rousing response to Sunday's sound 2-0 defeat at Inter that Andrea Pirlo would have hoped for, even if the same scoreline eventually fell in his favour for the first silverware of a fledgling coaching career.
Gennaro Gattuso, manning the other technical area with his typical demeanour of an overworked nightclub bouncer (remember nightclubs?), is famously firm friends with Pirlo.
After falling short as the overmatched apprentice against a masterful Antonio Conte at the weekend, the hirsute Juve boss would probably have preferred to pit his wits against anyone but the man who arguably knows him better than anyone in football.
They were an irresistible combination of silk and steel in the midfield as Italy won the 2006 World Cup and Milan lifted major prizes at home and abroad, while Pirlo's often cerebral autobiography is peppered with stories of juvenile practical jokes played at the expense of an easily riled Gattuso.
The playmaker was infamously allowed to joined Juventus on a free transfer in 2011, launching a dynasty alongside Conte that he is now charged with preserving,
Pirlo's glorious autumn of his playing career led Gattuso to play down his own influence upon his mate's earlier success in inimitably forthright terms.
"Don’t talk nonsense," he baulked in a 2017 interview when asked if he helped to make Pirlo a better player. "Let’s not confuse Nutella with s***"
Wednesday's encounter in Reggio Emilia was frequently closer to the undesirable end of that Gattuso spectrum, although any goalkeeper would gladly smear Szczesny's intervention to deny Lozano all over their pancakes.
Too often, Pirlo's Juve look like they're wading through a giant tube of chocolate and hazelnut spread. The are stodgy and lack flow - the notion that this team is more attractive than Massimilano Allegri's all-conquering side is fairly laughable.
But after half-time, they rolled up their sleeves in a manner in which Gattuso would have grudgingly approved.
Federico Bernardeschi, on for the ineffective Federico Chiesa, nearly scrambled home untidily shortly after the restart.
Kostas Manolas almost put through his own goal in the 64th minute and, from the resulting corner, Napoli played a crueller prank on their coach than anything Pirlo ever subjected him to. They failed to mark Ronaldo in the six-yard box.
Of course, the master marksman made no mistake and rammed home left footed for the 760th goal of his career. That puts him ahead of the great Josef Bican in some all-time rankings, although FIFA say the Austria and Czechoslovakia great has an "estimated" 805 to his name.
By most observers' best estimates, Lorenzo Insigne was surely going to send the game into extra time by converting an 80th-minute penalty after Weston McKennie's clumsy bundle into substitute Dries Mertens.
Insigne was one of the bright sparks in a drab a game and faced up to his own landmark of 100 Napoli goals. But, in another act worthy of the Pirlo-Gattuso slapstick scrapbook, he scuffed a woeful spot kick wide.
Further Szczesny heroics were required before Juan Cuadrado streaked clear to tee up Alvaro Morata to make it 2-0 win the final kick of the game.
Juventus are not playing beautiful football in their coach's image, far from it. But they celebrated with gusto at full-time having banished the end-of-empire stench that accompanied their efforts against Inter.
Have they turned the corner? Will this spark them into a convincing title defence in Sere A? Much like whether or not Ronaldo has broken another record, plenty of questions remain.
Alex Sandro leaves Juventus cherishing Bianconeri connection after Monza win
Alex Sandro celebrated trophies and finals with Juventus but says he will cherish his bond with the Bianconeri supporters the most after an emotional farewell on Saturday.
The Brazil international waved goodbye in Turin for one final time against Monza, signing off with a goal in a 2-0 victory at Allianz Stadium.
Alex Sandro made a record-equalling 327 appearances for Juve, matching Pavel Nedved's record for the most by a foreign player in the club's history.
Yet the versatile defender will be moving onto new beginnings after Juve ended the season third in Serie A.
"It was emotional for me, I have never cried so much in my life," he told DAZN, having joined the club in 2015.
"I am proud of myself and what I achieved. Over the last few days, I told everyone that the trophies and finals were lovely, but what I take away is the bond with the people."
Paolo Montero was in interim charge once more for the clash with Monza, in which Federico Chiesa was also on target.
The Juventus caretaker also oversaw a 3-3 draw with Bologna after Massimiliano Allegri was dismissed, and Montero acknowledged he has not changed much in terms of tactics.
"I honestly did not come here to transform anything, but to collaborate and I am proud to be with these players," Montero told DAZN.
"Every time they play, I sit in the stands to watch them, so it was an honour to be here with them."
Montero referenced Chiesa as one of Juve's key players going forward.
"We evaluated the players in the best shape," Montero added. "Chiesa has the quality to play on the right like at Fiorentina or the left like for Italy.
"He is a champion with a very positive mentality and is prepared for the Euros this summer.
"Chiesa makes the difference, I saw that at the stadium. If he continues to play at this tempo, he creates spaces and becomes deadly in one-on-one situations.
"These players can play wide, central, left or right, the important thing is that they have space to take men on."
Bayer Leverkusen's 'dream season' down to self-belief – Alonso
Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double was the result of players keeping faith in the team throughout what turned into a dream season, so says Xabi Alonso.
Leverkusen added the Pokal to their Bundesliga crown with a 1-0 victory over second-tier Kaiserslautern.
Granit Xhaka scored the only goal of the game as he arrowed in from distance in the 16th minute.
"In the end, to win like that meant we showed spirit, we fought for the fans for the club," said Alonso.
"It is a huge success to win the double. We will remember this in the future."
Leverkusen lost only one of 53 matches across all competitions this season, with that sole defeat coming in Wednesday's Europa League final against Atalanta, denying them a treble.
"The most important thing was the belief of the team. They were ready to battle with 10 players and I am proud of that," Alonso said.
"I need time to accept what happened this season. It was a dream season and to celebrate the last day like this here is special."
Leverkusen will be looking to build on their success next season, with Alonso having snubbed the advances of Liverpool and Bayern Munich in order to stay at the club.
'If they don't want me, I'll win trophies somewhere else' – Ten Hag bullish after Man Utd win FA Cup
Erik ten Hag was in a feisty mood as he took on the press following Manchester United's FA Cup triumph, insisting he will win trophies anywhere he goes.
It was reported on Friday that United had made the decision to sack Ten Hag regardless of whether or not he managed to claim a shock FA Cup win over Manchester City.
Yet the Dutchman did just that at Wembley on Saturday, with first-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo enough to claim a 2-1 victory.
It is United's first FA Cup success since 2016. On that occasion, Ten Hag's compatriot, Louis van Gaal, was sacked after claiming the trophy.
And Ten Hag was in no mood to be criticised when he told reporters: "We have to keep going, and I'm not satisfied with it, we have to do better and if they don't want me anymore, then I go will somewhere else to win trophies, because that is what I did my whole career.
"That is what they always tell me."
The former Ajax coach subsequently cut short his press conference when it was put to him by a journalist that United, who finished eighth in the Premier League, were still way behind where they should be.
"Sorry to say this, but you don't have any knowledge about football, about managing a football team," Ten Hag said. "When you don't have the players available, then you can't perform, so simple as that.
"And if that is the opinion, it is no problem. Then I go anywhere else and I go and keep winning trophies."
Ten Hag, who waved to the Red Devils' fans at full-time, has now won two trophies with United, having taken them to an EFL Cup triumph last season.
City manager Pep Guardiola said United must now make a decision.
"They have to take a decision. He's a lovely person and an extraordinary manager," Guardiola said.
"Winning the FA Cup is important for them like last season it was for us."
Reflecting on City's loss, Guardiola said: "Disappointed today, it's normal teams can lose finals but this season has been extraordinary fighting for all the trophies in a good way.
"We will rest and come back next season."
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