Juventus have shown two distinct faces at the start of this season and while Thiago Motta grapples with attacking challenges, there’s a silver lining that’s bringing smiles to the Continassa executives. Calciomercato report that Juventus boasts the best defence in the league by a significant margin, having conceded zero goals in five matches.
At the heart of this impenetrable defense is Gleison Bremer. The Brazilian defender, once a subject of scrutiny due to past errors, has transformed into an unbreachable wall. This turnaround is particularly fortunate for Cristiano Giuntoli, who hadn’t initially listed Bremer among the non-transferable players during the summer.
Bremer’s stellar performance was especially evident in the crucial match against Napoli, considered a potential title decider. His dominance was not limited to winning his duel with Romelu Lukaku but extended to an all-round impeccable display. The statistics are telling: 100% duels won, 80% aerial duels successful, 4 interceptions, 2 clearances, 98 touches, and an impressive 95% pass completion rate, including 60% successful long and vertical passes.
While these numbers represent a peak performance, they elevate Bremer’s already excellent season average to exceptional levels. For instance, across five games, he’s won 26 duels against 17 lost.
Ironically, the person most grateful for Bremer’s form might not be Thiago Motta, but Cristiano Giuntoli. At the beginning of the summer transfer window, during negotiations for Riccardo Calafiori, Giuntoli hadn’t considered Bremer untouchable. He was even prepared to entertain offers for the Brazilian to justify the potential €40 million outlay for the Bologna defender. However, concrete offers never materialized for Bremer, and consequently, Calafiori never made the move to Turin.
Bremer stayed, and Thiago Motta has since molded him into an indispensable defensive leader. This unexpected turn of events has not only solidified Juventus’ backline but also vindicated the club’s decision to retain the Brazilian center-back.
