What if Juventus Turin were kicked off the Serie A podium? This assumption is far from impossible as the season of the reigning nine-time Italian champion is a failure. Third tied on points with Atalanta Bergamo, the Piedmont club is only two points ahead of fifth, Naples. Proof that the evils are deep in the ranks of the team coached by Andrea Pirlo. This Saturday in the derby against Torino, the former midfielder may be playing his future. The elimination from the knockout stages of the Champions League eroded the immense credit he had at the Allianz Stadium. He failed to embody the renewal hoped for at the head of the Bianconeri. With him, the Old Lady failed to find the second youth after which she has been chasing for several seasons. On the contrary, even. The difficulties of recent seasons have been highlighted by his inability to give personality and a playing identity to his team. Defensive strength was not enough to keep a title won by a small point last season. But he is not the only one responsible to believe the admission of Giorgio Chiellini. The Italian defender made a relentless observation during a press conference of the Italian selection organized during the international break: “It is not about Andrea Pirlo, it is the team this year which has not been up to it. There are problems for sure, but Andrea Pirlo is not. It’s Juventus in general the problem. I don’t think I need to add anything. “
More progress since 2018 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Juventus
Juventus Turin have been overtaken by increased competition. In addition to hitting a continental glass ceiling, the national hegemony of Juve is now coming to an end. Neither Maurizio Sarri nor Andrea Pirlo have managed to revive a group whose progress has been limited since the last season of Massimiliano Allegri’s tenure. This new instability on the sidelines proves the current difficulties of the Piedmont club. It was especially in vain to help a team whose executives are aging and newcomers not always up to date. In an institution that is struggling to get players out of its training center, young people who are supposed to embody the future are in difficulty. Arthur, Dejan Kulusevski, Federico Bernardeschi or Paulo Dybala have failed to stand out this season. Today, there is a chasm between the old and the younger generation that Cristiano Ronaldo on one side and Federico Chiesa on the other cannot bridge. To recruit the five-time Ballon d’Or in 2018, Juventus Turin sacrificed the idea of a strong collective and failed to compensate by making shots at a lower cost. In the transfer market, success stories like Weston McKennie are too few. After a long domination, Juve must prepare for a period of transition. And a season ended outside the Serie A podium might be the best way to realize the scale of the task ahead …
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