For over 10 years, Juventus has been dominating the Serie A, winning the league for 9 in those years. The domination saw the team rise to levels we’ve never seen before, and as a result, they’ve raised the number of their trophies to an unspeakable amount. The team continuously stayed on the Champions League Odds, making them one of the favourites.
However, after a decade of domination, the team has seen itself struggle to get back to the top, and the signing of one of the greatest players didn’t help matters. Previously, the goal was to win the champions league, but now, it is about going back to winning ways. It hasn’t been an easy ride for the team.
This season everything went from bad to worse. Even though the team has secured their UCL spot, it is still a long road from success. They can only hope for a better season as we close out this one. Unfortunately, after the Coppa Italia defeat, Juventus is officially trophyless for the first time in 10 years. So, how did it get so bad for the Old Lady? Keep reading to find out what we think.
UEFA Champions League Woes
During the team’s 10 years of domination in the Serie A, the push for Europe was real, and it got harder with every passing year. It was simply a close call at some point, and after a couple of finals and semi-final misses, the team kept looking for the missing piece.
The 2014/2015 UCL final against Barcelona was their chance to win their third UCL title, but it was not to be, as they were outclassed by a formidable front three of Messi, Neymar, and Suarez. They went out in the Round of 16 against Bayern the following season. They soon bounced back in the 2016/2017 season.
Juventus was a formidable team in that season, and they worked their way to the final, getting revenge against Barcelona. However, it wasn’t to be as they couldn’t hold out against Real Madrid, who was on a 3-peat run. Finally, it was bad luck after bad luck, and they missed out on Champions League glory.
Ronaldo, Aging Players, and Free Transfers
Undoubtedly, Ronaldo did a number on the team throughout their champions league drive. He even scored a spectacular goal against the team to send Real Madrid to the Champions League final. He has been a problem for a few seasons. However, because of his pedigree in the competition, Juventus decided to get Mr Champions League.
It was supposed to be the missing piece, but it was too late for that, and the team was already on a downward spiral when they signed CR7. The team was having issues with different players getting old and contract expiration. Therefore, there was no way to fit the new starman into the team.
It went from bad to worse, and even though they managed to win the Serie A in Ronaldo’s first season, the damage was already massive. As a result, they couldn’t hold on to the title in the next season. And it was so bad that Juventus almost missed out on Champions League football until the season’s final day.
Stronger Italian Teams
More Italian teams are becoming formidable compared to other years. Before, Juventus was breezing through and taking on every team in the league. At a point, only Napoli was good enough to challenge for the title. Later on, Inter Milan joined the fight, and it got a lot harder to win the league.
Finally, the season came when everything came crashing, and the teams that had been building themselves finally had the chance to pounce and cause damage. Now, it will take time for Juventus to claw its way back to the top of the Serie A chart. However, it might not take long, given that they are already trying to rebuild.
Tactical Woes
The issues haven’t ended, and it lingers with most teams struggling to perform. Even the new boy, Dusan Vlahovic, has been looking like a shadow of himself since joining the Old Lady. Undoubtedly, there is a problem somewhere, and we think one of the main culprits is tactical management.
The team doesn’t have a shape, and there is no particular style of play. Therefore, whenever they go up against a team with better coordination, it is harder to get anything out of the game. Recently, they’ve been knocked out by Porto and Villareal in the UCL. So, the tactics area is something they need to look into.
Our Final Thoughts
Juventus has been down before, and they’ve gotten back up. Therefore, we expect a drastic change to the team in the next few seasons. This summer transfer window will be a major one because rejuvenation is needed. So, we look forward to how it goes and what the team has to offer next season.
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