ROME (AP) — Almost knocked out of the Champions League. Struggling with just three wins in nine Serie A appearances. Plagued by injuries to three star players.
Not much more could go wrong for Juventus in Saturday’s derby against Turin.
The biggest problem for the Italian champion’s record of 36 times, however, appears to be his reliance on an antiquated style of play under his defensively oriented coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Still, after a humiliating 2-0 Champions League loss to Maccabi Haifa on Tuesday, Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said the club remained loyal to Allegri.
“In a situation like this, it’s not just one person,” Agnelli said. “It is a question that must be dealt with by a whole group. We are ashamed, we apologize to our fans, because we know they must be ashamed walking around right now.
“Allegri is the coach of Juventus and he will remain the coach of Juventus.”
Allegri is in his second stint at Juventus after leading the club to five consecutive Serie A titles from 2015 to 2019. Last season, in his first year back, Allegri barely qualified Juventus for the League of Nations. champions with a fourth place. What is more telling, however, is the number of goals scored last season (57) – significantly fewer than champions AC Milan (69), Inter Milan (84), third-placed Napoli (74) and even fifth place. Lazio (77).
The trend has continued this season, with Juve scoring 12 fewest in the top eight clubs with Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
With Federico Chiesa, Paul Pogba and, again, Ángel Di María injured, Juventus struggled to place Dušan Vlahović at centre-forward.
Juventus were also held scoreless in a 2-0 loss to AC Milan last weekend, leaving the Bianconeri in eighth place.
“I’m ashamed of what’s happening. I’m angry,” Agnelli said. “But I also know that football is played with 11 men, you lose and you win with 11.”
Allegri’s preferred style of scoring a goal or two and then defending an advantage stands in stark contrast to Serie A leaders. First-placed Napoli under Luciano Spalletti score from the bus with a fluid attacking style.
While second-placed Atalanta haven’t been as attacking as in the recent past, they are still coached by Gian Piero Gasperini, under whose leadership the Bergamo side scored 98 goals a few years ago.
Third-placed Lazio under Maurizio Sarri reward a fast passing game known as ‘Sarriball’. And fourth-placed Milan under Stefano Pioli are also advancing steadily with their young side still looking for the goal.
Recent coaching changes at other clubs have had an immediate impact, highlighted by the signing of Pioli to Milan at the start of the 2019-20 campaign and the appointment of former Juventus player Raffaele Palladino to Monza.
Monza stunned Juventus 1-0 last month on Palladino’s debut to hand Silvio Berlusconi’s club their first-ever Premier League win – and are now on a three-game winning streak.
So maybe Juventus are hesitant to fire Allegri because of his hefty €7m ($6.8m) salary and four-year contract – especially as the club have just declared a record financial loss.
“No, no, you are completely off track here,” Agnelli told Sky Italia. “It can’t be the coach’s fault if we don’t win a single tackle on the pitch.
“Juventus have always assessed situations at the end of the year. I’ve always had a hard time considering a dismissal during a season and I continue to believe that,” Agnelli added. group of 80-90 people who work here and we have to find our spirit, allow the team to put their qualities on the pitch.”
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