Former Juventus defender Mark Iuliano believes Max Allegri’s cycle at the club is over: “Juventus appear to be a team that has lost its way…” The former centre-back spent almost a decade in Turin with the Bianconeri, and speaking on Cusano Italia TV (via Tuttosport), he explained why he believes the club have lost their way and what they need to do to return to the top:
“Juventus appears to be a team that has lost its way, losing those certainties that propelled them to be in the title race until a couple of months ago. They are playing poorly both mentally and physically.”
“The journey has been very erratic,” continued Iuliano. “It started poorly, then terribly, then well, very well, and now we’ve returned to a rather negative trend, especially mentally and physically. A single negative event is enough to compromise everything; you can’t rely solely on sparks from Chiesa or Vlahovic.”
The question that persists concerns the end of Allegri’s cycle. Iuliano clarified, “Sometimes cycles end, but even coaches who have won a lot sometimes leave because the environment needs to renew itself and find other paths. You can certainly rejuvenate the project, but not the prestige of these teams; you also have to understand which club you’re in.” He added, “Juventus is one of the most important teams globally; you must rejuvenate but also give young players the chance to express themselves to the fullest and achieve results.”
Regarding Thiago Motta’s potential appointment as Juventus coach, Iuliano expressed admiration: “Would I like to see him at Juve? He’s a very good coach, doing very well at Bologna, and that’s another situation to consider. In the future, if Motta were to arrive at Juve, I wish him the best, and the results speak for themselves; he’s creating an excellent opportunity. But it’s precisely the Juventus environment that should change, seek new stimuli, and replace those players who haven’t delivered as expected.”
On the choice of Tudor for the Lazio bench, Iuliano commented, “He’s an excellent coach, has achieved excellent results, has an identity, and has the ability to instill mental strength in players when facing one-on-ones anywhere on the field. Tudor provides the opportunity to develop your talent and make it available, but he also gives you the chance to make mistakes.”
In conclusion, Iuliano was asked whether a revolution within Juventus was necessary in preparation for next year’s Champions League. “To have a respectable Champions League campaign, Giuntoli will have to change many things: mentality, gameplay. Juventus must reclaim its dominance in European football. Last year, when they had to go to Paris to face PSG, the coach chose to change the team because it was an important match. That choice was like saying, ‘I’m going to Paris and not trying to win the game.’ It was one of the most misguided signals you could give to a team like Juventus,” concluded Iuliano.
