Whichever way you look at it, Massimiliano Allegri deserves plenty of credit for the way that he has rebuilt this Juventus side. Critics may claim that his job has been easy and that Italian football has been on the decline but the 49-year-old has moulded Juve into one of Europe’s elite clubs. And best of all, this is only the beginning...
Earlier this month, just days after losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League final, Juve signed Allegri up to a new and improved contract. With an extended deal until 2020, Allegri can continue to shape this Juventus side to push for a first European Cup victory since 1996.
Juve’s success is built on defence. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a stronger and more reliable defensive unit on the planet. A first Champions League success continues to elude Juventus and Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon but with Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli at the back, they will almost certainly feature prominently in next season’s elite European competition – although finishing second just doesn't cut it anymore.
No fairy tale for Buffon & Juventus, just the same old sad story - by @Mark_Doyle11 https://t.co/AqcCaoTUO1 pic.twitter.com/j5sInHgEOw
— Goal (@goal) June 3, 2017
Without a doubt, Juventus are the dominant force in Italian football but the likes of Roma, Napoli and Inter Milan are improving and Allegri’s men might not have everything their own way in the 2017/18 campaign. In the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons, Juve were 17 points clear at the top of the table but finished just four ahead of nearest challengers Roma this time around.
The Juventus Stadium, commercially known as the Allianz Stadium as of July 2017, is home to one of Europe’s finest football clubs. Historically, the Old Lady have been up there with the two Milan sides but Juve have started to pull away in the modern era. Yes, both Inter and AC have won Champions League crowns since 1996 but a European Cup triumph next season will confirm Juve’s standing as Italy’s best club team in the modern era.
If truth be told, Juve are a class above their Italian counterparts on current form and plenty of fans will be backing Allegri’s men in the title race next season. After all, they are hunting a seventh successive Serie A crown and it will be difficult to look past Juventus if they spend big in the transfer window.
Usually, the Italian giants are a sure-fire thing; they very rarely slip up against Italy’s lesser sides and tend to stand firm against the big boys. If they were to feature on the Super 6 predictor game, almost everybody would be backing Juventus to win; punters can keep up with the latest online tips and news regarding the game and European football via Footy Accumulators’ website.
Can Juventus hold their own against the best teams in Europe? Well, they’ve reached the Champions League final in two of the last three years so it would be foolish to argue against that belief. In both showpieces, Juve have been well beaten but Allegri’s grand plan is nearing completion. For Juventus, the collective has always been more than its parts and this side is heading in the right direction. Watch this space; the Old Lady could go one better in 2018.