Italian coaching legend Arrigo Sacchi believes ‘there’s nothing left of the Juventus that dominated Italy for a decade’ and a ‘revolution’ is needed to get back to the top. The Bianconeri have had a truly disappointing start to the new campaign, dropping out of the Champions League in dramatic fashion while sitting 10 points of the top of the Serie A standings.
Writing in his editorial for La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sacchi commented on Juventus’ elimination from the Champions League and their situation overall:
Juve sadly leave the Champions League: defeated by Benfica in Lisbon, the bianconeri show that they are going through one of the most difficult periods.
This season, they have won only once, at home against Maccabi Haifa: a very meager reward, certainly unexpected for the fans and managers who had built the team to compete at a high level both in the league and in the Champions League.
The reality is merciless: in Serie A, Allegri’s boys are ten points behind leaders Napoli and in Europe they have collected four defeats in five games. To say that the balance is negative is an understatement. But what most hits home about Juve is the inability to be a team. The club has always made grit, determination, will and spirit of sacrifice, its key strengths. Now there aren’t even those.
And there is not even a game plan, because they have never invested in that, preferring to buy great champions who, alone, could solve the games.
Against Benfica, the absence of ideas was evident. The Portuguese dominated the pitch far and wide, highlighting the current shortcomings of the Bianconeri who are always disconnected and do not move in a coordinated way.
Only in the finale was there a reaction, and now entry into the Europa League is also in doubt, because the bianconeri have the same points as Maccabi Haifa and on the last day they have to face PSG : not exactly a walk in the park.
One thing is certain: of the team that dominated in Italy for almost a decade, and that twice reached the Champions League final, there is nothing left. We need a revolution to get back to the top “.
