It seems almost sacrilegious to even suggest it. The most successful club in the history of Italian football, with 36 Serie A titles and a two-time Champions League winner, has to honestly consider the possibility of missing out entirely on the most prestigious continental club competition of them all.
Juve has actually been performing fairly well this season, but there is no doubt that Serie A has become far more competitive since the days of the nine titles in a row, and that means that the Bianconeri have become just one of a group of teams battling it out for one of the top four places.
Most of the best Canada sports betting sites will have Juventus making the cut, even if it now increasingly looks like Inter will end up with the scudetto. There are other teams who will also fancy their chances, however, so could Juve really miss out on the Champions League next season?
Season So Far
It is has been something of a mixed bag for Juventus this season. There was a six-game unbeaten run at the beginning of the campaign, but then the last three of those were drawn. Beating Inter in a seven-goal thriller will be many fans’ highlight so far, but they will have also seen Juventus lose to Cagliari, as well as up-and-coming dangers like Como.
Aside from a concerning nine-game period beginning at the end of September, in which Juventus only managed to win two Serie A games, while also struggling in the Champions League, results have been relatively positive. Unfortunately, there has been nothing really to suggest that the scudetto drought will be broken this year. But a top-four finish is a possibility, theoretically.
More Competition
Although Juventus is not the top team in Italy at the current time, the main reason why there is the potential for the club not to qualify for the Champions League is that Serie A has become far more competitive in recent years. Fans won’t need reminding that Juve failed to make the grade as recently as 2023 (although the points deduction and punishments were mainly to blame).
This season, both Milan clubs will be hopeful of finishing in the top four, as will a rejuvenated Napoli. Add to that Roma, Atlanta, and surprise package Como, and Juventus suddenly becomes part of a battle for what might just be one remaining Champions League spot. With plenty of the season still to go, others like Bologna and Lazio will also feel as if they have some chance of European football next season.
Congested Schedule
Juventus may already have been knocked out of the Coppa Italia, but it has gotten used to playing every three or four days thanks to European competition. This congested schedule seemed to be an issue earlier in the season, when the Bianconeri failed to win any of its first four Champions League games.
A kinder second half of the fixture list has seen Juventus comfortably make it into the extra playoff round. But a tie against Turkish champion Galatasaray is hardly a walk in the park. With the second leg of that tie being played in Turin, Juventus should still be confident of progressing, but that only continues the schedule congestion further into the Serie A campaign. No Juve fan would want the club to be knocked out of the competition, but that kind of success does have an effect on the chances of a top-four finish this year.
Extra Chances
There are two extra chances for Juventus to make next year’s Champions League even if it doesn’t finish in the top four. The first would be for Juve to win this season’s competition. Having to play an extra playoff tie does not suggest that this current squad has the potential to go all the way – but you never know.
There is also the extra qualification place given to two European leagues with the best record across the three club competitions this season. Serie A has benefited from excelling in the coefficient ranking system before, when five clubs qualified after the 2023-24 season. England looks most likely to be successful this year, with Italy currently trailing Portugal, Germany, and Spain for the other remaining place.
Juventus fans expect their side to be in the Champions League every year – Source: Unsplash
Serie A Excitement
For neutral fans (if there are really any), the intense competition in Serie A makes Italian football very attractive right now. It could easily be argued that the domestic league is more unpredictable than the EPL, La Liga, or the Bundesliga. None of those leagues has had four different winners in the last six years.
But that competition is severely affecting not just Juve’s chances of claiming another scudetto, but also to even qualify for the Champions League. A club the size of Juve needs to be playing in the most prestigious competitions, and that is also a major factor in the caliber of new player it can attract.
Not qualifying for the Champions League should be unthinkable for Juventus, but the signs are that it will be an almighty battle over the next few months. There is definitely talent at the club to get the best of contenders like Roma, Atalanta, and Como, but there are no guarantees in football.
As Juve fans, we can frankly do without the added excitement that a competitive Serie A gives us. Luciano Spalletti needs to make sure that his ideas get across to the players and they do the business out on the field of play. Finishing fifth is not an option.
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