Paulo Dybala insists showing equal respect to all opposition will be key if Juventus are to make the most of a difficult run of fixtures.
The Argentinian forward emerged from the bench to inspire Juve to a 3-0 home victory over Chievo, helping Gonzalo Higuain grab the second goal before rubber-stamping the points himself.
Perparim Hetemaj’s first-half own goal had given the Bianconeri the lead at Allianz Stadium, but a new-look team found it tough to properly break the Flying Donkeys down before the interval.
Dybala had been omitted from the starting XI with Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Barcelona looming, and the young Argentinian knows all minds will have to be focused ahead of a September schedule featuring the trip to the Nou Camp and derbies against Fiorentina and Torino.
“We have to be aware that this is an important month, the first that will tell us where we’re heading,” Dybala, 23, told juventus.com.
“We have respect for Barcelona, like we had for Chievo today, so we’ll go to the Nou Camp to play.”
On his second-half impact, which saw him free up Miralem Pjanic to feed Higuain for a powerful finish before he danced into the box to wrap up a third straight Juve win with a low drive, he added: “I had a good understanding with Gonzalo.
“I stayed close to him, and after the break the team played well and deserved the result.”
Head coach Massimiliano Allegri’s main concern was the disappointing performances of summer signings Douglas Costa and Federico Bernardeschi.
The on-loan Bayern Munich winger flattered to deceive until being brought off for Dybala before the hour, while Bernardeschi drifted in and out of the action across the final 10 minutes.
Allegri told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “Douglas Costa must understand his teammates better. Playing in the Italian league is difficult because even the smaller teams close off all the spaces.”
On Bernardeschi, he added: “If he had come on with half an hour remaining he might have done better.
“He has made a big leap from Fiorentina to Juve and he has to understand that here he must play for the team and that every touch of the ball is important. It’s a matter of habit.”
Chievo boss Rolando Maran said: “We are disappointed. It’s a shame we went under their wheels.
“It’s not easy to get anything in Turin and when Dybala came on and made the difference the game was over.”