Socrates

Giuntoli has prioritised reducing Vlahovic’s salary Dusan Vlahovic is on the brink of a salary increase to 12 million euros per season in the coming months, presenting a potential financial challenge for Juventus. The Bianconeri are actively seeking to reduce costs, particularly given the generous contracts previously granted by the previous board. Juventus faced significant financial difficulties before the current season, prompting the appointment of Cristiano Giuntoli to assist in restructuring the financial framework. ............ Juventus cannot afford the proposed 12 million euros per season for the Serbian striker. Therefore, the club is exploring the possibility of extending Vlahovic’s contract, which currently expires in 2026, until 2029, while concurrently offering him a reduced salary. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/report-giuntoli-has-prioritised-reducing-vlahovics-salary/

McKennie could be forced to play through pain for Juventus against Atalanta Juventus currently faces an emergency in their midfield, which comes at an inopportune time in the season. The Bianconeri are confronting Atalanta when they are grappling with a lack of form, having recently suffered a defeat to Napoli, making this upcoming match a crucial fixture that they must win. Juve is experiencing a shortage of players in the midfield, potentially leading them to field a lineup where Manuel Locatelli stands out as the most experienced player. ............ Weston McKennie emerges as a viable option, having recovered from an injury sustained in the game against Frosinone. As he gradually returns to fitness, Juventus might consider asking him to play through any lingering pain in the upcoming Atalanta game. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/mckennie-could-be-forced-to-play-through-pain-for-juventus-against-atalanta/

Juventus loses Alcaraz to injury for at least two weeks Juventus has been dealt a fresh injury setback as Carlos Alcaraz is set to be sidelined for at least two weeks due to a hamstring problem. The midfielder, on loan from Southampton since the January transfer window, was brought in to enhance Juventus’ midfield options. Having proven to be a valuable addition so far, Alcaraz’s absence will be felt, given his positive impact on the team’s midfield dynamics. ............ The extent of Alcaraz’s injury, revealing the hamstring issue that will keep him out of action for the next two weeks. This setback is particularly significant for Juventus, considering their existing challenges with injuries to several midfielders. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-loses-alcaraz-to-injury-for-at-least-two-weeks/

Juventus Linked to Sporting CP Colossus, Weigh Swap Juventus are in the market for a young defender and have laid eyes on a touted one, Ousmane Diomande, who stars for Sporting CP. He’s left-footed and has a sizeable valuation, but the Bianconeri might have some advantages in their chase ............ The Portuguese side is said to be keen on Kaio Jorge, who’s expendable at the right price like most players. He has recovered fully from a massive knee injury and is having an okay season at Frosinone. He has a €15/20M price tag. Juventus have earmarked Diomande and further top-notch defenders because they are wary of the incoming offers for Gleison Bremer. His entourage has fielded requests from Manchester United and Tottenham. It remains to be determined whether the Bianconeri would resist in front of a €70M offer. ............ Read more -> https://cultofcalcio.com/juventus-linked-to-sporting-cp-colossus-weigh-swap/

Atalanta wants Moise Kean which could lead to possible swap deals At least two Atalanta players have captured Juventus’ attention, and the Bianconeri are keen on securing a move for at least one of them during the upcoming summer transfer window. For months, Juve has been closely monitoring the performances of Giorgio Scalvini and Teun Koopmeiners, and fans anticipate the acquisition of at least one of these players for the Turin-based team. ............ Atalanta also has some Juventus players on their radar, with Moise Kean being one of the notable names. The Italian striker is in search of regular playing time to regain his form, and Atalanta sees the potential for improvement in their squad with his inclusion. This opens up the possibility of a swap agreement between Juventus and Atalanta, where Kean could move to Bergamo, and Juventus, in turn, would secure the services of at least one of their primary transfer targets. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/atalanta-wants-moise-kean-which-could-lead-to-possible-swap-deals/

.

“Allegri made a good group.” De Ligt sends his best wishes to Juventus Matthijs de Ligt has sent his best wishes to Juventus from Bayern Munich, revealing that he still follows the club. The defender played for the Old Lady between 2019 and 2022 before moving to Bayern to continue his career. ............ Although Max Allegri’s men are currently further away from the top of the Italian league standings, Juventus remains one of the strongest sides in the league, and De Ligt acknowledges that Allegri’s team is doing a good job. He says: “They lost a few games, but they are doing a good job. They are young, Allegri made a good group. Inter is very strong, but we hope that Juve can grow as a team.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/allegri-made-a-good-group-de-ligt-sends-his-best-wishes-to-juventus/

Tacchinardi: “Giuntoli doesn’t like Allegri’s style, Juventus can’t afford to waste Chiesa” Former Juventus star Alessio Tacchinardi feels that the club’s Football Director Cristiano Giuntoli isn’t a fan of Max Allegri’s style of play. ............ While Giuntoli had often praised Allegri’s work in public, Tacchinardi believes that the Juventus official could be looking to show the coach the door at the end of the season. The retired player urges the director to start planning for next season as the current campaign could be a foregone conclusion. ............ “Giuntoli must understand who are the suitable profiles to make this team successful again and whether the technical guidance is right,” said Tacchinardi. “Then he must decide what to do with Chiesa. We should start with him and build the team around him for the future. “The focus now is no longer on the pitch, because Juve will qualify for the Champions League, but rather on understanding what Giuntoli wants from Juventus. “Does he want a Juve like the one we’re seeing this season or a more unscrupulous side that plays further forward? “For me, Giuntoli doesn’t like how Allegri plays. “Juventus can’t afford to waste Chiesa. He’s the best Italian striker of this generation, yet, the club isn’t helping him perform at his best. “Allegri used to be a superb manager, but his ideas have always been the same,” concluded the former Juventus player. Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/tacchinardi-giuntoli-doesnt-like-allegris-style-juventus-cant-afford-to-waste-chiesa/

Massimo Mauro makes a bold statement about Allegri at Juventus Massimo Mauro has articulated the reasons why Juventus should retain Max Allegri as their coach, countering speculation about his potential replacement in the summer. ............ The recent poor run of form has left Juventus supporters frustrated, raising concerns about Allegri’s future in Turin. Nevertheless, Mauro argues that the optimal decision would be to confirm Allegri as the manager for at least another season, pointing to factors that might contribute positively to the team’s performance. He explains: “Allegri did an excellent job, he was the leader of the club and the team even in a difficult period. I believe he is the right person if Juve wants to have a future.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/massimo-mauro-makes-a-bold-statement-about-allegri-at-juventus/

Bergomi gives his explaination on Allegri’s future at Juventus Inter Milan legend Beppe Bergomi believes Max Allegri’s future will depend on how he handles the criticism directed at him, as he remains an undesirable figure among the club’s fans. ............ Having closely followed Juventus since Allegri’s return, Bergomi asserts that he is one of the most criticised coaches, and his future could hinge on the prevailing environment at the end of the term. He said: “For three years he has been in a particular situation on that bench, always subject to criticism, and this year too the first false step is been overwhelmed again. I believe that his future at Juventus also depends on how heavy this situation is for him in the long run.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/pundit-gives-his-explaination-on-allegris-future-at-juventus/

Allegri’s agent explains how close he was to joining Real Madrid Max Allegri was on the verge of becoming the next Real Madrid manager before he ultimately returned to Juventus in 2021. Despite being replaced by Juventus in 2019, with Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo each lasting only a season, Allegri was sought after by the Bianconeri to lead the team once again. ............ Giovanni Branchini said: “If he had signed, Allegri would have been the coach of Real Madrid. It was all agreed, everything, everything. But in the end, with death in his heart, he decided not to do it. It was a painful act for both. He didn’t sign for another club that offered him more, but he chose to stay in Italy because two things coincided: a family issue and Juventus’ proposal to return. The two things coincided and he chose not to leave Turin.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/allegris-agent-explains-how-close-he-was-to-joining-real-madrid/

Ex-Fiorentina goalie wishes to see Zidane coaching Juventus soon Former Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey has suggested that Zinedine Zidane is likely to become the next manager of Juventus, expressing confidence in the Frenchman’s potential success in the role. Zidane, among other former Juventus players, is considered a possible candidate for the managerial position if the club decides to part ways with Max Allegri at the end of the current season. ............ However, given the current circumstances, Allegri’s departure from the Allianz Stadium seems imminent, prompting Juventus to potentially explore alternatives and search for a suitable replacement. Frey wants the next man on the Juve bench to be Zidane and said: “Zidane’s statements released on the occasion of the presentation of the film on Marcello Lippi were emblematic: honestly, if Zizou were to coach in Serie A I would see him well especially at Juve because they are a bit romantic”. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/ex-fiorentina-goalie-wishes-to-see-zidane-coaching-juventus-soon/

“Wasn’t enough.” Bremer breaks silence after Juventus loss to Napoli Gleison Bremer has broken his silence following Juventus’ defeat to Napoli in their recent Serie A fixture. The Bianconeri needed a victory to remain in close contention with Inter Milan, but they faced difficulties at the Maradona Stadium, a venue where they typically struggle. ............ The Brazilian defender, however, emphasizsed that the team gave their best effort, attributing the loss to a day where things didn’t go in their favor. He tweeted: “We tried but the field says it wasn’t enough. “I’m proud of this group. “We continue to give our best.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/wasnt-enough-bremer-breaks-silence-after-juventus-loss-to-napoli/

Lewis Ferguson or Teun Koopmeiners: Which midfielder should Juventus sign? Juventus are set to sign at least one of Teun Koopmeiners and Lewis Ferguson at the end of this season. ............ Koopmeiners has been one of the standout midfielders in Serie A since he moved to Atalanta, and he is one of the first names on their team sheet. Ferguson has been in fine form for Bologna, and his contributions could help them secure a spot inside the top four at the end of this term. Juve are keen on both men, but the Bianconeri consider Koopmeiners their top priority at the moment. If the Bianconeri consider Koopmeiners too expensive relative to Ferguson, they might opt for the Scotsman instead. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/lewis-ferguson-or-teun-koopmeiners-which-midfielder-should-juventus-sign/

Ferrara highlights ‘serious’ Juventus mistake in loss to Napoli Former Napoli and Juventus defender Ciro Ferrara highlights that Bianconeri players made a ‘serious’ error in their loss at the Stadio Maradona as they were outrun by Giacomo Raspadori when Wojciech Szczęsny saved Victor Osimhen’s penalty kick. Juventus suffered their third loss in the last six Serie A matches on Sunday night, losing 2-1 at the Stadio Maradona in Naples. ............ The ex-Sassuolo star was quicker than any other Juventus player and latched onto the rebound before any other opponent. Even Giovanni Di Lorenzo and André Zambo Anguissa got on the ball before the Old Lady’s defenders and Ferrara harshly criticised the Bianconeri because of that. “I think there was a serious error after the penalty save,” Ferrara told DAZN during Sunday’s post-match show. “Taking a point home from the Stadio Maradona would have been important for Juventus’ mood.” ............ Read more -> https://football-italia.net/ferrara-highlights-serious-juventus-mistake-in-loss-to-napoli/

Devastated Gatti didn’t feature against Napoli due to friend’s tragic death Juventus defender Federico Gatti remained on the bench against Napoli after suffering personal tragedy in recent days. When the starting formation was announced, many were surprised to see the 25-year-old excluded in favour of Alex Sandro. ............. The manager felt that Gatti was in no condition to take part in the action following a tragic mishappening. Sadly, Marco Pezzatti passed away earlier this week in a car accident in Calabria. The 31-year-old was a good friend of Gatti. The pair were teammates at Verbania where they formed a strong bond. The Juventus defender mourned the death of his friend on social media earlier in the week and has been visibly shaken. ............. Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/devastated-gatti-didnt-feature-against-napoli-due-to-friends-tragic-death/

Italian press ratings for Juventus after Napoli loss: Chiesa Top, Vlahovic Flop Despite a valiant effort, Juventus returned to Turin empty-handed following a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Napoli. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the opener late in the first half through a deflected shot. Federico Chiesa replied in the 81st minute with a clever low drive that crept past Alex Meret. However, it proved to be a short-lived equalizer, as Joseph Nonge gave away a late spot-kick that Victor Osimhen squandered. Yet, Giacomo Raspadori reacted first to pounce on the rebound. ............ La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport Szczesny 6 Rugani 5.5 Bremer 6 Alex Sandro 6 Cambiaso 5 Alcaraz 5.5 Locatelli 5.5 Miretti 5.5 Iling-Junior 5.5Chiesa 7 Vlahovic 5 Weah 6 Nonge 5 Yildiz 6 Milik N/A Danilo N/A TuttosportSzczesny 7 Rugani 6 Bremer 6.5 Alex Sandro 6 Cambiaso 5.5 Alcaraz 5.5 Locatelli 5 Miretti 6 Iling-Junior 5.5Chiesa 7 Vlahovic 5 Allegri 6 Weah 6Nonge 4.5 Stars 5.5 Milik N/A Danilo N/A Il Corriere dello Sport Szczesny 6 Rugani 6 Bremer 6.5 Alex Sandro 6 Cambiaso 5 Alcaraz 5 Locatelli 6.5 Miretti 5 Iling-Junior 6Chiesa 7Vlahovic 4 Allegri 6 Weah 5,5Nonge 4 Yildiz N/A Milik N/A Danilo N/A Calciomercato.com Szczesny 6.5 Rugani 6 Bremer 5.5 Alex Sandro 6.5 Cambiaso 5 Alcaraz 5.5 Locatelli 6 Miretti 6 Iling-Junior 6Chiesa 7 Vlahovic 5 Allegri 6 Weah 5.5 Nonge 5 Yildiz 5.5 Milik N/A Danilo N/A Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/italian-press-ratings-for-juventus-after-napoli-loss-chiesa-top-vlahovic-flop/

Allegri irritated by slow reaction on Napoli penalty: “We had to do better” Juventus coach Max Allegri saw some positives from his team’s 1-2 defeat at the hands of Napoli, but laments some crucial episodes. ............ The visitors produced a decent showing at the Maradona Stadium but eventually suffered defeat due to a late spot-kick. Wojciech Szczesny managed to block Victor Osimhen’s shot, but Giacomo Raspadori stormed into the box, beating the likes of Alex Sandro and Gleison Bremer to the ball to smash it home on the rebound. Therefore, Allegri was irked by his players’ slow reaction in this particular situation. “I’m sorry and angry,” said the 56-year-old in his post-match interview. “Raspadori and the others took a run and jumped on us. We need to do better. Szczesny saved a poorly taken penalty. “These are steps for growth. we have a direct clash with Atalanta in which we’ll try to score points. “This is football. There are moments when things go well, and others less so. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/allegri-irritated-by-slow-reaction-on-napoli-penalty-we-had-to-do-better/

“Nothing has changed” – Giuntoli remains coy on Allegri’s future at Juventus Juventus Football Director Cristiano Giuntoli shies away from all discussions related to the future of Max Allegri at the club. Great speculations are currently surrounding the manager’s fate. While his contract will expire in 2025, it is widely believed that he will either sign a new deal or walk away at the end of the season. ............ “Allegri’s words? Nothing has changed, at the right moment we will talk about the future,” said Giuntoli in his pre-match interview ahead of Juve’s clash against Napoli. “We are happy with his work, but we are also very focused on the present. At the right time, we will sit around a table to plan the future.” ............ Finally, Giuntoli admitted that his return to Naples is an emotional one having spent eight years in the city. “Yes, for me it is It’s an emotional return to the Maradona. I haven’t met President De Laurentiis yet but I will gladly greet him.” Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/nothing-has-changed-giuntoli-remains-coy-on-allegris-future-at-juventus/

Allegri: Juve losses part of the growth process Coach’s comments after the Bianconeri lose 2-1 away at Napoli Juventus’ current run of indifferent form shows no sign of abating after they dropped more points, this time in a 2-1 defeat away at Napoli. The hosts had dominated possession, but the Bianconeri were guilty of wasting a number of chances and in the end they paid for it. Speaking to the media after the game, coach Massimiliano Allegri remained upbeat about finishing in the top four, his original target for the season. The winning goal came after Victor Osimhen’s penalty was saved and three Napoli players attacked the rebound with Giacomo Raspadori tucking it in. Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/3/4/24088476/napoli-2-1-juventus-serie-a-match-recap-reaction-allegri-comments-kvara-chiesa-raspadori-osimhen

Vlahovic has Juventus regret: ‘I have to take those chances’ Dusan Vlahovic practically apologised to Juventus after missing scoring opportunities in the defeat to Napoli. ............ The Serbia international had several huge situations and was unlucky with a couple, as one header skimmed the far post, a chip bounced off the inside of the upright and he fired another over the bar. “I will honestly regret them all. If I want to become what I want to become, to take that extra step up in level, then I have to take these chances. There is nothing else I can say”. “I had opportunities to win the match, I worked so hard during the week and did everything to be prepared, but it just didn’t happen tonight.” ............ “When I do not follow my intuition, that is where things go wrong. At first I wanted to control, but then I decided to hit it first time and 9 times out of 10 I score those. In that moment, I thought the opponent would go into a sliding block and so I had to take it first time. ............ “The team played really well, we did everything the coach asked of us, but if I converted one of those chances, I think the game would’ve been very different. “I want to thank my teammates, as I saw their faces in the locker room and we really gave our all. It was a strong performance, I know that if I had scored, it would’ve been another game.” ............ Read more -> https://football-italia.net/vlahovic-has-juventus-regret-i-have-to-take-those-chances/

Juventus Player Ratings vs Napoli: Chiesa and Szczesny Late Heroics Not Enough Juventus (3-5-2) Wojciech Szczesny – 7 A solid effort from the Poland international who was unlucky to concede twice. On the first goal, it took a slight deflection to beat him, although he came close to parrying it away. He then did well to save Osimhen’s penalty but could do nothing about Raspadori’s rebound. Daniele Rugani – 6.5 A decent showing from the Italian defender who did well to limit Kvaratskhelia’s threat and help Bremer in his battle against Osimhen Gleison Bremer – 6 The Brazilian had to resort to dark arts in his titanic duel against Osimhen. He was hindered by an early booking, but still managed to keep the Nigerian at bay. Alex Sandro – 6 The stand-in Juventus captain showed his experience on multiple occasions, smoothly dealing with difficult situations. Andrea Cambiaso – 5 ............ Carlos Alcaraz – 6 On his full debut, the Argentine started slowly but grew with the match. He eventually delivered the assist for Chiesa’s goal, but still has major room for improvement. Manuel Locatelli – 6 ............ Fabio Miretti – 6 An encouraging display from the Juventus youth product who started on a positive note, making himself useful in the buildup. However, he somewhat faded as the match progressed. Samuel Iling-Junior – 6 ............ Dusan Vlahovic – 5.5 The Serbian just couldn’t buy himself a goal when it mattered the most for Juventus. Wasted a free header early on, before watching a brilliant chip hit the post. His first half ended with a shot that whistled past the woodwork and then was much more quiet after the break. Federico Chiesa – 7.5 The Euro 2020 winner was easily the best performer for Juventus. Unlike the last few weeks, he looked inspired and dangerous with the ball at his feet. Put Vlahovic through on two occasions, left Napoli defenders in his wake, and scored what a momentary equalizer with a clever low shot. Substitutes Timothy Weah – 5 ............ Kenan Yildiz – 5.5 Ironically, the young striker’s highlight was denying Osimhen from scoring in the final minute with a good piece of defending. Not much on the offense though. Joseph Nonge – 4.5 The teenager’s blunder cost Juventus dearly, needlessly stomping Osimhen inside the box. Allegri immediately hauled him off afterwards, but the damage was already done. Arkadiusz Milik – N/A Danilo – N/A Read more -> https://cultofcalcio.com/juventus-player-ratings-vs-napoli-chiesa-and-szczesny-late-heoircs-not-enough/

Poor finishing and bad timing doom Juventus at Napoli A wasteful Juventus left the Maradona wondering what might have been. In comedy, the old adage is that timing is everything. One could say that about most sports, as well, very much including soccer. Joseph Nonge, an 18-year-old midfielder of great promise but all of two first team appearances who was forced into a big game against Napoli thanks to injuries and idiocy in the Juventus midfield, had some pretty crappy timing five minutes from time when he moved in on Victor Osimhen a fraction late and caught the Nigerian in the ankle with his studs. A quick VAR review gave Napoli a deserved penalty kick — the first one Juve had given up all year. Even then, it looked like Juve might have been spared the worst when Wojciech Szczesny, one of the best penalty kick specialists in the world, parried a poor Osimhen penalty. But Szczesny got no help. Instead, three Napoli players flew toward the rebound before any Juve defenders came close, and Giacomo Raspadori slammed the ball into the roof of the net, the second time in two years he’d provided a late goal to beat Juventus. But in fairness to Nonge, his mistake shouldn’t have been so decisive in the 2-1 loss to Napoli. Juventus ought to have had a significant edge on their hosts by this point. But they had wasted chance after chance after chance to that point before the young Belgian’s fateful tackle. In the first half alone, Dusan Vlahovic had missed two glorious chances and hit the post, though in fairness that last one would have been an amazing goal had it been a few centimeters further inside. Samuel Iling-Junior ballooned one shot over the bar and failed to get much purchase on another that was met with an easy save. Andrea Cambiaso blazed over from point-blank range at the start of the second half. ............ Juve looked dangerous early, but Alcaraz got a ball stuck in his feet on a feed from Iling-Junior in the first few minutes. A few bad giveaways in their own half were smothered by the defense, then with 10 minutes on the clock came the first real missed opportunity when Chiesa pressed the ball off of Olivera and found Vlahovic free behind Rrahmani, but the striker’s header back across the grain skimmed just wide of the post. ............ Just after the half-hour mark another good chance went begging when Cambiaso fizzed a ball into the box that got past Chiesa but landed at Iling-Junior’s feet, only for the young Englishman to fire into the crowd. Three minutes later, Vlahovic came agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock when got behind the defense and latched on to a through ball from Chiesa. Meret charged out, and Vlahovic delivered one of his trademark chips from just outside the corner of the 6-yard box. The ball floated over the stranded keeper but bounced off the upright on the far side, leaving Vlahovic wondering what more he had to do to put the ball into the net. ............ Soon, though, Juve’s profligacy in front of goal would come back to haunt them. When Di Lorenzo sent in a cross in the 43rd minute, Bremer could only get a weak head to the ball, flicking it only into the path of Kvaratshkelia, who had been left open by Cambiaso. The wing-back tried to charge the Georgian down, but his excellent volley took a slight deflection off him, giving the shot enough of a deviation to sneak it through Szczesny’s hands at the near post. After all that huffing and puffing, Juve were behind just before the break. They really should’ve gone into the locker rooms level. Less than two minutes after the opener, Rugani came way up to press Traore, who coughed the ball up right to Vlahovic — whose first-time shot from 18 yards somehow flew over for his most egregious miss of the night. ............ That is until the 81st minute, when a seemingly innocuous move, first from Nonge to Chiesa, then a one-two between Chiesa and Alcaraz, put Juve’s No. 7 a step into the box on the right side. Out of nowhere, Chiesa unleashed a worm-burner that nutmegged Olivera and skittered across Meret and into the bottom corner to tie the score and, for the moment, silence the crowd at the Maradona. ............ But they wouldn’t stay silent for long. Nonge’s naive challenge, completely unnecessary in the grand sceme of things, set up Raspadori’s eventual winner. Even then, Juve had one last salvo in them off a corner. After a couple of flicks, the ball fell to Locatelli, who slammed a shot off his own teammate Arkadiusz Milik. The ball cannoned back out to Kenan Yildiz, who put the ball back in to Rugani. But the center-back wasn’t able to play hero for the second week in a row. The ball came up on him, making contact with his shin and blasting the ball over one final time. LE PAGELLE WOJCIECH SZCZESNY - 6.5. It’s hard to see the ball go into the net off the keeper’s hands, but Kvaratshkelia’s goal took that little deflection that made it hard for Szczesny to keep it out. The Pole was solid otherwise, and went above and beyond with his penalty save—his 20th career stop from the spot — only for his defense to fail him. DANIELE RUGANI - 6. Kept things relatively clean on the right, and had a pair of key passes in the game going forward as well. His last shot will be replayed by Juve fans repeatedly, but it definitely took a bobble on its way to him. BREMER - 7. Was involved in a massive physical battle with Osimhen and had the striker quite frustrated as the game went on. He made six clearances and didn’t allow him to take a shot from open play. ALEX SANDRO - 6. A surprisingly good day for the Brazilian, not allowing Politano much purchase on the left flank. Led the team with three tackles and defended well overall. ANDREA CAMBIASO - 5.5. Played well defensively on the right flank, dealing with Kvaratshkelia and jumping Napoli’s passing lanes on multiple occasions. But he lost Kvara on Napoli’s opener and blew a big opportunity in front of goal early in the second half. CARLOS ALCARAZ - 6. His instinct is always to push the ball forward, which is something that this team sorely needs. He played a good one-two with Chiesa to tie the game, but really needs to get his first touch under control. MANUEL LOCATELLI - 6. ............ FABIO MIRETTI - 7. The best Juve player on the field by a decent margin. He led the team in dribbles, tied for the team lead with three key passes, made several excellent defensive plays. This is probably one of the best games he’s played with the first team period. SAMUEL ILING-JUNIOR - 5.5. ............ FEDERICO CHIESA - 6.5. Hit a fantastic goal, made three key passes, and looked a lot more threatening than he has in recent weeks. Hopefully that carries over for the rest of the year. DUSAN VLAHOVIC - 5. Got into all the right places but simply couldn’t finish. The shot off the post was a difficult one, but some of the others were sitters, especially the one at the end of the first half. He took responsibility for his misses at the end of the game, but now needs to work to eliminate them. SUBS TIMOTHY WEAH - 5. ............ KENAN YILDIZ - NR. Made a key pass at the end of the game on Rugani’s miss but for some reason was played as a wing-back in place of Iling-Junior, severely limiting his ability to influence the game further forward.. JOSEPH NONGE - NR. Showed his youth in making that tackle on Osimhen. It’s a shame because he did show a few flashes, like the pass that started the move that led to the equalizer. He’s talented, but one has to hope that being hauled off like that isn’t going to hurt him psychologically. ARKADIUSZ MILIK - NR. ............ DANILO - NR. ............ MANAGER ANALYSIS At least from the start, there was very little Max Allegri could do that was different. His options in midfield were severely limited. The only other choice he could have made was to start Weah on the right and move Cambiaso inside, but given the disparity between the performance of the American and Miretti, it’s clear he made the right call. His in-game moves were a little more awkward. Taking Miretti off the field first despite having comprehensively outperformed Alcaraz was an odd decision, but could have been motivated by fitness concerns, as he’d only played two minutes since the end of January. Removing Cambiaso, who had been playing relatively well, was also justified, as he’d been booked in the first half and had come a little too close to a second yellow for comfort by the time he was replaced. But playing Yildiz as a straight wing-back was rather baffling. Yildiz is one of Juve’s most creative talents, and to play him so far away from goal when Juve was chasing the game seemed rather absurd. There is no reason to put one of your better attacking players in a defensive role in that situation. It was a deeply strange decision that basically extracted one of his own teeth up front. But the problem I had more than anything else was pulling Nonge after the penalty. The narrative that Allegri has been more open to young players in his second tenure is seriously belied by that decision. Taking Nonge off in what, on its face, was a punitive decision and replacing him with a defensive player, captain or not, is horrific man management, and could be a heavy blow to the youngster’s confidence. It was uncalled for, especially as Nonge may need to be relied upon again until Rabiot and/or McKennie have returned. LOOKING AHEAD A huge head-to-head matchup with Atalanta is on the cards for next week, followed by a lunchtime kickoff against Genoa that is, frankly, a must-win game for Juve’s top-four ambitions. Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/3/4/24089691/napoli-juventus-2024-serie-a-matchday-27-final-score-result-match-recap-analysis-dusan-vlahovic

Juventus 1 - Napoli 2: Initial reaction and random observations Well, that was pretty infuriating. In a perfect world, an 18-year-old who has barely played this season going in a split-second too late shouldn’t have been the thing that determined whether or not Juventus beat Napoli on Sunday night. But because of what transpired over that point, suddenly Joseph Nonge’s tackle attempt on Victor Osimhen goes from potential risk to game-changing moment. It will be what a lot of folks focus in on. It wasn’t not the only reason why Juventus lost to Napoli on this night. No, as much as Nonge’s tackle gave Napoli a penalty kick that led to Giacomo Raspadori’s game-winning goal after Wojciech Szczesny initially saved Osimhen attempt from the spot, there is another very obvious reason why a very shorthanded Juventus (especially in midfield) was handed a 2-1 loss at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. That’s because Juve’s finishing, outside of Federico Chiea’s goal to tie things up in the 81st minute, was bad. It was awful. It was not good whatsoever. Choose whatever kind of adjective that has any sort of negative spin to it that you want and it probably will be appropriate. Juventus did a lot of things right against Napoli. But when your finishing proves to be as poor as it was for Max Allegri’s squad Sunday night, then you’re playing with fire. And it turns out that Juve got burned when Nonge went in a little too late on Osimhen, his studs caught the ankle of the Nigerian striker and everything that followed outside of Szczesny making the initial save proved to a mess. (Like, what are Juve’s players doing as they watch the ball on the rebound? There is absolutely no reason why Raspadori should be the first one to get to the ball, yet he is and he’s able to score the game-winning goal after a big PK save without much challenge whatsoever. I mean, Raspadori absolutely burned Alex Sandro on his way to the ball. Sheesh.) For all of the possession and shot creation that Napoli had, it feels pretty safe to say that Juve had the better of those scoring chances. The problem was that only one of Juventus’ nine first-half shots was actually put on target. Dusan Vlahovic was missing chances. Samuel Iling-Junior — who was making his first Serie A start of the season — was missing chances. Chiesa had a pair of chances that he sent wide. Juve were doing a lot right in the final third of the field. The only problem was that they were not taking advantage of chances that they should have been putting away. That’s why Khvicha Kvaratskhelia putting Napoli ahead felt more like a missed opportunity more than anything else. Juventus should have been up on Napoli before that very, very well-taken goal by Kvara, and the fact that they were suddenly down 1-0 on a goal out of nowhere only seemed to magnify the fact their finishing had been ... less than ideal. ............ Yet, just as you were starting to maybe get some hopes up that Chiesa’s goal was going to be the thing that finally ignited this Juventus team into its latest late-game comeback, all hell broke loose as a result of Nonge going in just a little too late, thus missing the ball and catching Osimhen ankle. ............ RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS Oh wow, Juventus just missed another really good scoring chance as I was typing this. Almost like they knew I was about to say something about them missing chances. Guessing that somebody who’s older than 18 and has more than a handful of Serie A minutes under their belt is maybe a little smarter than Nonge when it comes to that situation in which the penalty is called. I dunno, but I just think that’s the right thing to assume. Also, I have no idea what the mental impact that Nonge giving up a penalty and then being immediately subbed off might have on the young man, but it seems like Max could have handled all of that a little bit better. Of course, there’s not even a need for Nonge if two of your best midfielders were serving suspensions and two of your other more reliable midfielders hadn’t gotten injured a week earlier. So yeah, as much as you might be mad at Nonge for what he did, in a somewhat perfect world where Adrien Rabiot doesn’t have a dislocated toe or Weston McKennie doesn’t separate his shoulder, the young Belgian is never even on the field to begin with. I am glad Federico Chiesa scored that kind of goal because that is the kind of goal that hopefully hushes a little bit of the discourse surrounding him. It’s the kind of discourse that makes it seem like he’s totally finished as a player even though he very much isn’t. Now let’s hope that he scores more goals and plays well on the whole more often to close the season. That sure would be nice. Sure woulda loved to know what Tek Szczesny was thinking as he watched Raspadori break through and get a clear crack on goal right after he made a big save on a penalty kick. Probably involved a lot of cuss words in Polish — and you could totally understand why. Carlos Alcaraz made his share of mistakes against Napoli, but he also did some things in midfield that are a welcome addition to a unit that just doesn’t have a lot of variance to their style of play. ............ There was a point in the first half in which you thought every single Juve player was going to be shown a yellow card and it didn’t seem like an outrageous thought. One of those yellow cards means Vlahovic will be suspended next weekend against Atalanta. Let’s just hope Arek Milik stepping in for Vlahovic doesn’t mean he gets a red card this time around. One win in Juventus’ last six games seems bad. If the Bremer vs. Osimhen individual battle had evolved into an MMA fight, would anybody have been surprised? That was one physical tussle after physical tussle from two large human beings. Napoli had 69% possession in the first half. Juventus had 27% possession in the second half. Not as nice. So Juventus will know by the time they kick things off against Atalanta next weekend if they’ve been knocked down into third place. What could possibly go wrong, right? ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/3/4/24089525/juventus-napoli-2024-serie-a-matchday-27-final-score-result-initial-reaction-random-observations

Wasteful Juventus suffer dramatic away defeat at Napoli At the Maradona Stadium in Napoli, Juventus paid the price for their missed chances and inexperience, as they sustained a dramatic 1-2 defeat at the hands of their hosts. ............ Although Napoli saw more of the ball in the first half, the Bianconeri had the most dangerous chances. Vlahovic came close on three occasions, even hitting the post one time. Yet, it was the home side that headed to the break thanks to Kvaratskhelia’s opener in the 42nd minute. Last season’s Serie A MVP pounced on a clearance from Bremer, sending his volley past Wojciech Szczesny following a slight deflection off Cambiaso. The Bianconeri had to wait until the 81st minute to find an equalizer through a lovely low drive from Chiesa who stormed from the right wing. However, the Old Lady’s joy was short-lived as the young Joseph Nonge came off the bench to give away a spot-kick with a needless challenge on Osimhen. Szczesny did well to deny the Nigerian’s effort, but Giacomo Raspadori was first to react, scoring the winner on the rebound. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/wasteful-juventus-suffer-dramatic-away-defeat-at-napoli/