Italian giants Juventus no longer hold their shimmer of yesteryears and the 2020/21 season has exposed their underbelly with massive failures in both domestic and continental action. Once again their European journey ended in tears and their Serie A dominance met tough resistance.
The Old Lady of Italian football is going through really difficult time and wrongly calculated move to sign up as a founding member of the proposed European Super League raised even more frosty relationships.
Whereas nine of the earlier founding members of the European Super League tracked back on their initial announcement supporting the breakaway competition, Juventus have stood firm along with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
If their relations with the Italian football authorities were expected to thaw, there’s more trouble coming Juventus’ way unless they toe the line. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has announced sanctions in the event that at the start of next season Juventus will still be holding their stance over the league.
While Juventus are still struggling to finish in the top four, and qualify for Champions League football, it would be quite embarrassing if they fail in their tracks, especially with their budget and quality in their playing unit.
The recent loss to AC Milan exposed their struggles and though the club has sounded support for manager Andrea Pirlo, the former Italian international has starkly proven that great players don’t necessarily make great managers.
As it stands, the race for the top four in Serie A, congested as it is, doesn’t favor Juventus. The best team they’d have targeted locking out was Milan, given they have the poorest form among the current top four teams.
Milan have a much easier assignment in their next outing, away to Torino and having a great away record, they have been backed to win it on the Wincomparator football tips and predictions.
As the Serie A goes into Matchday 36, the big question will be whether or not Juventus will be able to keep their key players if they fail to make it to the top four, or if they stay put in the European Super League and FIGC relegates them.
One player who will attract most of the attention should it come to this, is Cristiano Ronaldo. After a lengthy dominance in Serie A, Juventus wanted something more; the UEFA Champions League, and that is why they went for Ronaldo. So far the investment, as far as winning the continental title hasn’t been achieved. In business terms, it would be termed a bad deal.
Ronaldo’s salary and bonuses would be unpayable if Juventus failed to qualify for the Champions League. While qualifying for the Europa League would be considered a consolation, given the kind of season Juventus have had, it would be inconceivable to imagine the world’s best player featuring in a second tier continental competition.
Missing out on the Champions League would definitely attract a mass exodus from the team, with the expectation that the management will make moves to cut the wage bill, while still cashing in one their best players.
As the club ponders through this all, perhaps playing in the Coppa Italia final will be considered a soft landing in their troubles this season but the stain of missing Champions League football will be indelible.
