It took two Andreas and an Antonio to start a Juventus dynasty. It might
take just one Andrea to end it.
The Bianconeri have won nine consecutive Serie A titles, but when they
face leaders AC Milan at the San Siro on Wednesday (19:45 GMT kick-off),
they will do so 10 points adrift and with their domestic dominance under
greater threat than at any other point in the past decade.
At the helm is manager Andrea Pirlo, whose genius on the pitch helped
initiate the era of success that also saw them win the Coppa Italia and the
Italian Super Cup four times each, and reach two Champions League finals.
From Pirlo's first meeting with Juventus owner Andrea Agnelli in 2011, the
pair have enjoyed a close relationship. "It was footballing love at first
sight," Pirlo wrote in his autobiography.
Under the guidance of then manager Antonio Conte, Juve dominated Italian
football in a way that even they - 36-time champions - had never done
before.
Until now.
Pirlo - from architect to destroyer?
Andrea Pirlo replaced Maurizio Sarri as Juventus boss in August 2020
on a two-year deal
While Pirlo's arrival in Turin as a player started an era of unimaginable
success, his return as a coach may well result in the destruction of it.
Juventus are fifth in the league - albeit with a game in hand - with only
seven wins out of 14. When the champions take to the pitch at AC Milan's
San Siro, they will not spark fear into their opponents as they once did.
Embarrassing draws against the likes of newly promoted Crotone and
Benevento, not to mention a 3-0 loss to Fiorentina - a team that had
managed only two Serie A wins - has drawn justified criticism and means
they are no longer favourites.
Juventus look tactically confused, nervous on too many occasions and
vulnerable when attacked in numbers. A team renowned for their
overwhelming control of a match cannot seem to even control their
emotions these days.
Five times already this season a red card has left Pirlo with only 10 men on
the pitch.
Seeking to provide explanations for why Juve have been stuttering under
Pirlo, Agnelli explained that a lack of a pre-season has hindered their start.
While the top clubs in Italy have all profited from a certain consistency in
these anomalous two seasons, Juventus are one of the few teams who
have changed coach and therefore not had the time to transmit new ideas
during a pre-season.
Pirlo has been forced to experiment during matches, resulting in some
bizarre displays and choices at the start of the campaign. Players were not
used in their usual roles and there were tactical imbalances all over the
pitch. Yet, slowly, we have begun to see the methods behind his decisions.
Pirlo wants an audaciously vertical team that presses high up the pitch,
wins possession quickly and immediately delivers the pass to a goal. He
wants to attack with five and has no desire to hold meaningless possession
of the ball.
When it works, such as against Parma or Barcelona in the Champions
League, it is rather beautiful to watch. The Bianconeri are capable of
unpredictable patterns of play and exhilarating attacks, and they have a
defence that has held up well under the pressure. Only Napoli have
conceded fewer goals in the league this season.
The problem, though, is that it does not always work and one is never quite
sure which Juve side will show up, especially if they are missing either
Serie A top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo or Champions League top scorer
Alvaro Morata. Both have proved indispensable.
Juventus either command the game with the authority of champions, or
dissolve under the pressure of it. They are vulnerable when attacked in
numbers and struggle to break down teams who defend in a low block.
Moreover, when obstacles present themselves, Pirlo struggles to address
them adequately because of his inexperience.
For example, against Fiorentina, midfielder Juan Cuadrado was shown a red
card, leaving Juve down to 10 men after only 18 minutes. Pirlo chose to
take off midfielder Aaron Ramsey and bring on defender Danilo, a decision
that led to his side ceding complete control and possession, and a 3-0
defeat.
Juventus, like many big teams this season - from Liverpool to Barcelona -
are struggling when compared with previous heights, but to blame Pirlo for
it all is unfair.
What was expected from a man who received his coaching badges on 14
September 2020, just days before taking charge of his first professional
match?
And it is worth remembering that Massimiliano Allegri, who led Juventus to
the Champions League final in 2015, only had 24 points from his opening
14 games of the 2015-16 season - and they went on to win the domestic
double.
Will power shift from Turin to Milan?
AC Milan are 10 points ahead of Juventus in the Italian top flight
It will be the tests against AC Milan on Wednesday and then Inter Milan in a
few weeks that will surely provide us with more answers as to what to
expect from Pirlo's men.
Milan, who have seemingly started a new project every summer, have
finally found consistency.
Under the tutelage of the pragmatic Stefano Pioli, the youngest squad in
Italy have been producing sensational performances and have not lost in 27
league games, despite the congested fixture list and the many absences
they have been forced to cope with.
Thanks to the experience and mentality of serial winner Zlatan Ibrahimovic
and Pioli's tactical expertise, Milan are attempting to start a winning era that
Juventus ended in 2011. Drawing 1-1 with Juve in February of that year
and losing the title to them that season resulted in a decline the Rossoneri
have struggled to arrest until now.
Both Pioli and Pirlo insist Wednesday's game is not decisive and the true
winner may well prove to be Inter, who many believe are the real favourites
to win the league. The Nerazzurri boast squad depth and an experienced
coach in Conte. More importantly, they have no European competitions to
contend with so should arrive in fine condition for every match.
January should provide Serie A followers with more answers as to who
really is capable of challenging for the title between the big three.
If Pirlo does fail to win the 10th straight title, then the blame lies with
Juve's management, who insisted upon a gamble at a time when they
boast the likes of Ronaldo - a player, perhaps unlike his manager, who is
ready to win now.
So an Andrea might be to blame for the end of an era, just not the one you
thought.