When most teams finish in the top seven positions of their league, they are delighted at finishing off a successful season. Teams such as Juventus, who win trophies like no one else, are not satisfied with being closer to mid-table than the league’s top. The Old Lady of Turin did not enjoy a great campaign in 2022-2023, as they barely finished seventh to qualify for European football. Juve hopes to have a much more productive campaign after many changes to the squad in the summer and a renewed commitment to coach Max Allegri. Below is our analysis of the Juventus squad this season, along with a prediction of where they will finish in Serie A.

A Season of Turmoil

The 2022-2023 season did not go the way that most online sports betting platforms predicted for Juventus. While they were not reigning champions, as AC Milan won the league in 2021-2022, Juve were among the sides expected to fight for the Scudetto.

The previous two seasons had seen Juve squeeze into the Champions League places by coming in the top four of Serie A. Such an outcome was below fans’ expectations, but it was good enough for the club to keep earning significant sums through TV rights deals and prize money.

However, the 2022-2023 campaign could have been better for Juve both on and off the field. They were dogged by scandal in Italy as the relevant authorities investigated previous transfer dealings.

Juve was given a ten-point deduction for false accounting at one stage. The points, however, were eventually given back to Juventus. Despite avoiding a points deduction, Juventus could do no better than finish seventh in the table.

Refreshing the Squad

One of the issues for Juventus at present is a lack of money to invest in the squad. The Italian giants spent heavily in the 2010s and put a lot into the Cristiano Ronaldo deal. They hoped the Portugal forward would lead them to Champions League glory, but they could only win Serie A and the Coppa Italia during his time at the club.

There was a modest refresh of the Juve squad this summer, with American winger Timothy Weah arriving from Lille. Aside from bringing in new players, coach Max Allegri was tasked with getting more out of those at his disposal. Several key players are expected to have much better seasons.

Juve did manage to secure Arek Milik permanently from Olympique Marseille, with the Polish forward serving as the club’s backup striker.

Paul Pogba Woes – Dusan Vlahovic Potential

Two critical players for Juventus going into the 2023-2024 season are Paul Pogba and Dusan Vlahovic. Pogba, who played for Juve earlier in his career, ultimately had no impact on the team’s season.

Despite being one of Juve’s top earners, Pogba has not set foot on the pitch this season. He has been absent with various injuries, while he is now facing a possible ban for doping violations. There is more chance of his contract being cancelled than him playing for Juventus again.

On the flip side, striker Dusan Vlahovic is enjoying a very productive season. The former Fiorentina attacker is finding his feet at Juve, where the style of play is a lot more defensive. He has a good relationship with coach Max Allegri, and his goals are already proving invaluable in Serie A.

Faith in Massimiliano Allegri

A critical decision that Juventus took in the summer was to maintain their belief in coach Max Allegri. The Italian could have been fired after a very poor 2022-2023, where his team finished outside the Champions League and Europa League places.

Allegri, however, earned a reprieve at Juve, with the club deciding that off-field issues had caused a performance dip in the squad. The club hopes everyone will be focused on achieving positive results this season while leaving other matters to the club’s hierarchy.

Allegri is a Serie A winner, while he has also guided Juve to the latter stages of the Champions League. While he may have to slowly build up the confidence of his current group of players, Allegri has the know-how and experience to win more trophies with Juve.

Every top team goes through cycles where they are the dominant force, which Juventus experienced in the 2010s. Even though they have won trophies in the past few years, Juve is no longer the dominant team in Italy. Finishing seventh last season was a wake-up call for everyone at the club. With management revamping the squad, Juventus have come back firing this season. They may not be title favourites, but when you have an experienced coach in Max Allegri and a talented group of players, finishing in the top four is very possible.