Cristiano Ronaldo was back among the goals for Juventus as the champions resumed their search for a ninth straight Serie A title with a 2-0 victory at mid-table Bologna on the resumption of the league.

Serie A has been suspended since early March as Italy – one of Europe’s worst-hit nations – battled with the coronavirus pandemic.

The encounter marked the first league game for both sides in over a hundred days although Juventus were playing their third game since the restart of Italian football having competed in the Coppa Italia last week.

Ronaldo had failed to score in Juve’s last two games in the Coppa Italia.

The 35-year-old missed a penalty in the Coppa Italia semifinal stalemate against AC Milan and failed to score or take a penalty in the shootout loss to Napoli in the final.

But he stepped up against Bologna to open the scoring from the spot after Juve defender Matthijs de Ligt was fouled by Stefano Denswil in the 22nd-minute.

The Portuguese forward has now scored 22 Serie A goals this season – one more than he managed last campaign.

He has also scored in Juventus’ last seven Serie A away matches – two short of his record of nine achieved last season which ended at Bologna.

Argentine forward Paulo Dybala doubled Juve’s lead in the 36th-minute curling home from a sumptuous Federico Bernardeschi backheel which left the Bologna defence flatfooted.

The win moves Maurizio Sarri’s Juventus now four points clear at the top of Serie A.

Second-placed Lazio can move to within a point of the defending champions if they win at Atalanta on Wednesday.