Tag: Juventus

Juventus might sacrifice the wrong man just to sign mediocre defensive help
Features, Serie A

Juventus might sacrifice the wrong man just to sign mediocre defensive help

Juventus have found themselves in a bit of a predicament with two starting-caliber central defenders done for the season with ACL tears in former Defender of the Year Gleison Bremer and new addition Juan Cabal. The Bianconeri still have a few quality central defenders available in veteran Danilo, breakout star Federico Gatti, and an even better summer 2024 signing than Cabal in former AC Milan man Pierre Kalulu. Although those are three good defenders, Juventus could use a fourth man to solidify their depth for the remainder of the Serie A season, as the Bianconeri are among the handful of teams fighting for the title in the most wide open Scudetto battle in ages. As such, Juve are being linked with a host of possible defensive signings this January, but it also sounds like the Ol...
Juventus offered the wrong option from Manchester United to save their defensive injury crisis
Features, Premier League, Serie A

Juventus offered the wrong option from Manchester United to save their defensive injury crisis

Juventus may sit sixth in the table, but they are just two points behind Serie A leaders Napoli in what has become the most wide open title race in the Italian top flight in ages. Defending champions Inter Milan are still seen as the de facto favorites after running away with the Scudetto last season by nearly 20 points, but Juventus are just as much in the hunt as the Nerazzurri to finally win the crown after going nearly five years without a title they used to be guaranteed to win every season for a decade. Juventus have improved their attack under new manager Thiago Motta, but their real calling card coming into the season was a steady defense bookended by the center back trio of Danilo, Federico Gatti, and, of course, former Serie A Defender of the Year Gleison Bremer. Injurie...
Thanks to Paul Pogba, Juventus can sign a new starter
Features, Serie A

Thanks to Paul Pogba, Juventus can sign a new starter

Although the conclusion itself comes as absolutely no surprise, the resolution of the Paul Pogba saga at Juventus is noteworthy in both the peace it brings and in the utility it will provide the Bianconeri going forward. Pogba signed with Juventus in 2022 with plenty of optimism in the air, as he was a low-risk free agent signing from Manchester United. The more romantic Juventini had hoped a return to Turin would bring the best out of Pogba, who looked, in glimpses for the French national team, like the world-class superstar he was at the beginning of his career. But the 2018 World Cup winner barely played for Juventus. Injuries, once again, hobbled the center midfielder, and it seemed as though only minutes after he would return, another soft-tissue ailment would claim the increasi...
Serie A: How Juve can exploit Inter; AC Milan’s barometer game; Roma could lose ugly
Features, Serie A

Serie A: How Juve can exploit Inter; AC Milan’s barometer game; Roma could lose ugly

Roma could lose ugly vs. Fiorentina Roma were able to get the three points they needed at mid-week by grinding out a 1-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv, but given their lone goal was an Artem Dovbyk spot kick, the Giallorossi did little to convince their doubters that they are on the right track. Last weekend, Roma lost their second game of the Serie A season against reigning champions Inter Milan 1-0, which doesn't sound like that bad of a result until you realize the Giallorossi have also only won two games and sit 10th in the league after 8 matches played. Look, Roma can cycle through as many managers as they want to, but the reality is they have a poorly constructed squad and one of the worst ownership groups in the entire league. Roma have managed to score only eight goals in eight ga...
UCL’s 3 best players of the day: Minamino joins Vini Jr. and Juve’s unsung hero
Champions League, Features

UCL’s 3 best players of the day: Minamino joins Vini Jr. and Juve’s unsung hero

AS Monaco FW Takumi Minamino Takumi Minamino didn't score a goal as spellbinding as Wilfried Singo (seriously, if your team needs a center back, you should look this guy up), nor was he as active as 22-year-old standout Maghnes Akliouche. But when it comes to pure efficiency, Minamino stood above everyone else, finishing two "gimme" chances with ease while recording an assist of his own. Minaminio was in the right place at the right time, putting on a clinic in positioning while making smart interplay and creating multiple chances for his teammates. With Monaco dominating the ball and so many of his teammates itching to take defenders on, Minamino was smart about taking up central positions away from his teammates in positions where a goal would be possible. Without those keen in...
UCL Takes: Arsenal’s Gyokeres regret, Vini Jr. is the world’s best, Juve remain far off
Champions League, Features, LaLiga, Premier League, Serie A

UCL Takes: Arsenal’s Gyokeres regret, Vini Jr. is the world’s best, Juve remain far off

Why didn't Arsenal sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres? Is there any argument against Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior being the best player in world football? And are Juventus even ready to compete in the Champions League again? Juventus aren't Champions League ready Juventus have made very real strides under the management of Thiago Motta, who came to the Bianconeri as the most coveted manager in Italian football for taking Bologna to the Champions League. But even as Juve have performed better this season with more promising results individually in an attacking sense, they've still only scored 11 goals and rank as one of Serie A's worst offensive teams in the top half of the table. Furthermore, the Bianconeri are third in the league, which is the same place they were in ...
Serie A Top 6 Predictions after Juve and Inter grind, while Milan and Napoli survive
Features, Serie A

Serie A Top 6 Predictions after Juve and Inter grind, while Milan and Napoli survive

6. Fiorentina Alright, before we talk about anything else, we have to praise Andrea Colpani. This guy is legitimately one of the best playmakers in European football, but I'll bet you only the most diehard of Serie A fans have heard of him. Colpani was a top player for Monza for a couple of seasons, delighting with his set pieces and eye for the spectacular from range, and now he's finally off the bag in Firenze with a brace for the Viola. The 25-year-old was the star of the show for Fiorentina in their 6-0 romping of Lecce, scoring an especially delightful volley goal into the absolute postage stamp of the top left portion of the net. Colpani's start to the 2024/25 Serie A season hadn't exactly been ideal, but that display against Lecce is very much a sign of things to come for ...
Serie A burning questions: Christian Pulisic for MVP, Juve’s breakout FW, the problem with Roma’s squad
Features, Serie A

Serie A burning questions: Christian Pulisic for MVP, Juve’s breakout FW, the problem with Roma’s squad

What is the problem with Roma's squad? Roma weren't embarrassed on Sunday against defending champions Inter Milan, but they went down without so much as a whimper in an attacking sense, getting shut out by the league's most talented defense in a 1-0 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico. As Roma toil in the midtable and their ultras battle against their putrid ownership, it's fair to want to take a turn towards the sporting and wonder how a team that made two brilliant summer signings in the attack could be so thoroughly boring - and subar. Roma are suffering from the same problem they had that Jose Mourinho papered over with his brilliance, even when the Giallorossi were in Conference League nd Europa League Finals. This squad is completely unbalanced. There is no real attacking width, ...
Juventus place former Inter Milan star at top of priority target list for January 2025 transfer window
Serie A

Juventus place former Inter Milan star at top of priority target list for January 2025 transfer window

Juventus will face Inter Milan in a couple of weeks in a matchup that will set the tone for how ready the Bianconeri are to compete with the reigning Serie A champions for the Scudetto this season, having finished behind the Nerazzurri by more than 20 points last season. The Bianconeri look like a much more dangerous team in 2024/25 under the rule of Thiago Motta, who is finally building a Juventus project around young standouts. This winter, however, Juventus could go for a more experienced hand to boost the team in defense, as arguably the best center back in Serie A went down with a season-ending injury recently when Gleison Bremer tore his ACL in a nail-biting win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League. Underrated Empoli star Ardian Ismajli is one of the top candidates to hel...
Juventus interested in two bizarre Dusan Vlahovic backups and one overqualified option
Serie A

Juventus interested in two bizarre Dusan Vlahovic backups and one overqualified option

Juventus finally look like serious Serie A title contenders in the 2024/25 season with Thiago Motta leading the way, as the manager has brought the same principles that made Bologna a Champions League side to Turin. Star striker Dusan Vlahovic still needs to shake off his issues against the top teams, but the 24-year-old has otherwise started the season positively with five goals in seven matches. The next task for Juventus at striker is to find a legitimate backup option for Vlahovic who can help support the team off the bench or even capably replace the Serbian international when he gets injured - and he does have an injury history. According to a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus are interested in Everton striker Beto, who was a standout in Serie A for Udinese befor...