The best team in Italy has just gotten better.
Juventus made history last year after winning their seventh straight Scudetto, but they are not contented with just that as they now set their eyes on something bigger: European glory and the UEFA Champions League trophy.
The Bianconeri have undoubtedly widened the gap between them and the other Italian top-flight teams, and it’s no wonder why fans expect them to breeze through to the title in the Serie A this 2018/19 campaign.
Key Strengths
Cristiano Ronaldo.
When your team gets a player who is often considered the best—or second-best depending on your views—footballer of this generation, that’s extremely valuable!
Ronaldo’s move to Italy is huge for the Serie A, but not as massive as for Juve who showed they are ready to win it all this time around. The Old Lady may have lost Gonzalo Higuain in the process, but CR7 is definitely an upgrade and provides them with not only scoring but also that European championship experience they oh so crave.
Add Paulo Dybala to the equation and Juve now have a formidable frontline that scored a combined 70 goals in all competitions last year.
Seven consecutive league titles is not an easy feat; and besides the departure of the legendary Gianluigi Buffon, the team virtually kept their nucleus intact—holding onto important players such as Alex Sandro, Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira, Giorgio Chiellini, Douglas Costa and Mario Mandzukic.
Not to mention that they also added the likes of Emre Can, Joao Cancelo, Mattia Perin and Leonardo Bonucci (again!) to their ranks.
The depth of Juventus is clear and it will be difficult for any team to match that, particularly in the Serie A where there are only a few rivals capable of going toe-to-toe with the Turin side.
Major Weaknesses and Concerns
The integration of Ronaldo to the Juve line-up is Max Allegri’s utmost concern ahead of the new season. It’s never easy to insert a new player in the line-up, particularly in this case that that player is expected to be the focal point of the team.
All signs point that it would be a seamless transition for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, but Allegri and Juve will surely be cautious as they also look to avoid overworking their new striker.
Moreover, there’s the question of who will be the man between the sticks for them. With Buffon gone, Wojciech Szczesny is predicted to take over. However, the 28-year-old just don’t have the leadership that Gigi possessed.
Another major concern for Juve is their ageing lineup. Only one player in the main team is younger than 24 years old, with the acquisition of Ronaldo (33) and Bonucci (31) jacking the team’s average age even more. In fact, at the back, four out of their five central defenders are over 30 years old!
While that shouldn’t be an immediate problem, it’s still concerning given how Allegri manages his players. The Italian coach is notorious for his lack of rotation policy, and that will be an issue for them both in the domestic league and in European competition.
Juventus have the players to contend for the biggest prizes in football, but Allegri needs to utilise his team to the fullest and make sure that all his key players are healthy and well-rested in games that matter.
Key Players to Watch
Uhm, Ronaldo? But it’s obvious by now why he’s one to watch. He’s bound to be a regular in the Serie A 2018 highlights, and it’s interesting to see what he will achieve with his new team—in his first season in the Italian competition.
Dybala can learn a lot from Ronaldo, and the sky is the limit for him with the wealth of knowledge and experience he will get as he partners with one of the best scorers in the world.
Rodrigo Betancur is also an exciting prospect that should be on everyone’s watchlist. The 21-year-old showed flashes of brilliance last year despite his limited playing time, but after his terrific performance for Uruguay in the World Cup, it’s possible for him to feature more regularly this season.
Fearless Forecast
We’re probably looking at an eighth straight Scudetto for the Bianconeri. SBOBET have them as overwhelming favourites, with the Serie A 2018 betting odds leaving Napoli and AC Milan fighting for the runners-up spot instead of the title.
The real challenge for Juventus is the European competition. After all, a lot of things can happen in a long and gruelling football season. The team is built to contend for European trophies, and I expect them to reach the Champions League final this year—winning it is another matter of course!
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