At the time of writing this piece, we are 2 weeks into the Serie A season, and Juventus currently find themselves 1-1-0 after a 0-3 away win over Udinese in the opening game week, but unfortunately, they followed that up with a 1-1 draw at home against Bologna. This season it goes without saying that the goal will be to get back into the Champions League, which could have been made different if they were made to play in the Europa Conference, which is what their 7th place finish in the league last season would have got them.
However, after they were found guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules between 2012 and 2019, they were fined £17.4 million and lost their place in the 2023-24 Europa Conference League. Honestly, though it could be a blessing in disguise, yeah of course a trophy is a trophy and it is still some level of European glory. But dropping a game and potential long-distance travel every other week means they can put that effort in on a weekend in Serie A and at that rate getting back amongst the big boys shouldn’t be an issue, really and as one of the biggest names in Italian Football, they’ll likely believe they belong in the Champions League anyway, not the Europa Conference.
Vlahovic and Chiesa will be leading the line for Juve this season. Will their goals be enough? Source: X
Juventus Expectations
Today though, I’d like to take a look at the expectations for Juventus this season in Serie A as well as what potential moves we could see them make in the transfer window. With around 2 days left to play with, there could be some big comings and goings still. But first, what needs to happen this season and what can the Bianconeri realistically hope to achieve? Well, the bare minimum Juve fans will be wanting is a top 4 finish, as I already said, the Champions League is huge for Juventus and not being in that is a huge miss. Not only for Juventus but for the competition as a whole. The Champions League needs Juventus just as much as Juventus needs the Champions League.
Can Juve hope for more?
Well, Massimiliano Allegri will be keeping a close eye on the competition around him and realistically his biggest challengers this season are Inter Milan, AC Milan and Napoli. However, Lazio could also be dark horses. The 2022-23 season saw Napoli run away with the league, topping the table with 90 points and a 16-point gap to Lazio in second, but it can be said that both Inter and AC Milan underperformed last season by their own standards. But prior to last season starting, Lazio was only predicted to finish 9th, the fact they got 2nd is a testament to their system and their self-belief.
Key Players and Defensive Concerns
Key players are going to need to perform at their best if Juve are going to get back to the top of the league and the European ladder. They can rely on Vlahovic for sure and Chiesa is an incredible talent, but one thing this Juve side lacks which Juve sides of the past had, is a rock solid defence. With Gleison Bremer at the heart of it and Mattia Perin in goal, it doesn’t quite strike the same fear into the hearts of strikers that a centre-back pairing of Chiellini and Bonucci with Buffon sat behind them in goal was able to.
Scoring goals hasn’t necessarily been an issue for Juve, while some teams seem to smash goals in for fun, they’re never a million miles off the pace, but long gone are the days of scoring 70-odd goals a season and they may need a little bit more from their forward line. But their midfield could potentially do with a little shoring up. Locatelli is solid, so is Kostic, but Pogba cannot be relied on due to his injury record. Juve will want more from Adrien Rabiot also moving into this season.
Potential Signings and Impact on the Season
With all that being said, who could Juve add to their lineup that could possibly take them to the next level? They have been linked to quite a lot of players and in my opinion, here are the best of the bunch and the ones I believe can add a lot to the team, To begin with, a couple of names they have been linked with that could help a lot, to add more going forward from the midfield is Domenico Berardi from Sassuolo and to tighten things up in front of the defence would be Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich. When it comes to improving the defence a player they have been linked with that has had quite a tough ride but could do a job in Serie A is Harry Maguire from Manchester United.
First up we’ll talk a little bit about Domenico Berardi from Sassuolo. Berardi has been linked to almost all of the Italian giants for a long time. But he has been pretty Loyal to Sassuolo, he did play for Juve between 2013-2015 but found himself back on loan to Sassuolo before signing for them again.
He has continued to improve as a player and would be a great fit for Juve now. His ability to draw fouls (2.1 per game average) would be really useful as Juve has some real quality set-piece takers, Everyone knows about his strengths going forward however, but even from attacking midfield or on the wing, Berardi helps out going backwards, occasionally covering his full-backs and getting stuck in with interceptions and clearances. Could now be the time to sign Berardi?
Things haven’t gone to plan at Bayern for Gravenberch, could a move to Italy kick start his career again? Source:The Express
Then there’s Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich. Gravenberch seems to be quite an in-demand name right now with him also being linked to other big teams like Liverpool and Manchester United. Gravenberch is a very good and progressive passer who likes to try and break the lines. When it comes to carrying the ball forward from deep, his strength, close control and awareness make him brilliant at this. It makes you wonder why things haven’t quite worked for him at Bayern really.
Though he often drops into the back line to help with the build-up of the ball moving forward, he isn’t afraid to get involved in the final third. Always looking to receive, pass and move. Gravenberch could be the perfect addition to any team that plays a system where they can abuse his strengths.
Finally as a potential centre-back, Harry Maguire from Manchester United. Maguire looked absolutely phenomenal at Leicester and he often looks great in an England shirt, but things haven’t necessarily been as good for him at United. It’s safe to say he has a mistake or 2 in him but could a change of colours help wash away the mental trauma of a United shirt?
Maguire is a solid passer of the ball and is very good with his head, both in his own box and the opponents. He has a great touch but has absolutely no pace whatsoever. He has great leadership qualities and can keep a back 4 in check, though those leadership qualities tend to fall on deaf ears in the United red.
Expectations and Expert Insights
Now we’ve taken a look at the team’s hopes and expectations for the current season and a few of the big names Juventus have been linked with in the closing moments of the window, it’s time to take a look at how likely all of these potential outcomes are to happen. To do that we’ll be taking a look at some of the big sportsbooks where the experts have done that work for us, to begin with, we’ll take a look at the betting odds for the league.
As we mentioned, the hope will be for Juve to get back into the top 4, but there is no reason a team like Juve can’t win the league again, but it’s easy for us to sit here and say that, what do the experts think? For our odds we took a look at the most recommended sports betting sites, and here is what they had to say on the matter. To finish in the top 4, Juve is actually sat in 4th place with the 4th best odds, At 4/9 you can get a $7.22 return from a $5 stake which isn’t too bad.
When it comes to winning the league, however, things get a little better looking. The favourites this season are Inter at 2/1 ($15 return from $5) and Napoli at 11/4 ($18.75 return from $5). But in third place is Juve, with odds of 10/3 which returns $21.66 from $5. So for Juve to be the third favourite for the title is very promising! It isn’t just us who believe they can do it after all.
So with all that being said, how much could any of these signings truly impact the team and their chances for the season? Tightening up the defence is a must in my opinion and a move to Italy could give Maguire a new lease of life, of course there are other options out there but as an established International and a player who has played at the top of Europe for his club, he really could be what they’re looking for. Both of the midfield options we mentioned offer different things completely but depending on what Juve and Allegri wanted to prioritise both of these players could completely transform the look of the midfield.
Time for some questions, Juve fans. Would you like to see Juve dive in for any of these players we’ve mentioned today? If not, who would you prefer to see signed over them? Assuming you agree that Juve needs a CB/CDM as their highest priority, right now what name on the market could push Juve to the next level, helping them to a league title and launching them back into Europe? When it comes to the expectations, what are you hoping for? Will a top 4 finish be enough this season? Or do they need to push on for the title?