In her editorial for Sportitalia, Valentina Ballarini offered her thoughts on Juventus, speaking of `Bianconeri melancholy.` This feeling, she argues, continues to surround Juventus, even under Igor Tudor`s management. The initial burst of pride and renewed energy following the change in coaching staff seemingly only lasted for a couple of games. According to Ballarini, the current Juve side doesn`t appear significantly different from Thiago Motta`s team.
While it`s true that they concede fewer goals compared to the final phase under the previous coach, the fundamental issues in attack remain unresolved. The team creates few opportunities and scores few goals. They find it incredibly challenging to generate cohesive play and seem to lack a discernible soul or identity on the field. It feels as if something is perpetually missing, a spark of desire and joy. Ballarini describes Juventus as looking like a `sad team.`
The team moves like a disconnected unit, a group that has once again become fraught with worry because things aren`t functioning as they should. It`s also undeniable that injuries continue to play a critical role. Tudor is missing nearly half the squad, and recently lost Andrea Cambiaso, who is confirmed to be out for the crucial Champions League match against Lazio. Injuries have been a constant challenge under Tudor, mirroring the situation under Motta. In essence, despite a potential shift in philosophy, little has fundamentally improved on the pitch, and ultimately, results are the only metric that truly matters. Motta was sacked while Juve sat fifth in the league, just one point behind the coveted fourth place and Champions League qualification. Since March 23rd, Ballarini concludes, the much-anticipated revolution has simply not materialized.