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4 months ago
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Having dominated Serie A for most of the previous decade, it is fair to say that things have not gone to plan for Juventus over the past few seasons.
Two Coppa Italia successes (2020/21 & 2023/24) are scant reward for a club which likes to think of itself as one of the top clubs in Europe.
However, a quick look at their recent record in UEFA’s club competitions does not paint a pretty picture, with their last title dating back to the mid-1990s.
The 1995/96 Champions League winners have reached the final five times since then (1996/97, 1997/98, 2002/03, 2014/15 and 2016/17), but have failed to lift the trophy.
The latest Champions League betting odds rate Juve as 33/1 shots to end their European drought, and it would be a surprise if they emerged victorious.
While success in Europe may remain elusive for Juventus in the short term, regaining their supremacy in Serie A is a realistic target.
New manager Thiago Motta is an exciting appointment following his successful spell in charge of Bologna from 2022 to 2024.
He inherited an extremely tricky situation at Bologna, having been hired to replace Sinisa Mihajlovic shortly after the start of the 2022/23 season.
Mihajlovic was a hugely popular figure with the players, who formed a special bond with him as he fought against leukaemia.
He died a few months after being sacked by the club, but Motta navigated his way through what was unquestionably a sensitive period.
His efforts were rewarded as Bologna finished ninth in Serie A in his first season in charge, and he followed up by guiding them to a fifth-place finish and Champions League qualification last term.
Motta is rated as one of the brightest managerial prospects in European football and his possession-based style could work wonders for Juventus.
He demonstrated plenty of tactical flexibility with Bologna, alternating between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations dependent on the opposition.
The club’s summer acquisitions of midfielders Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram will help Motta quickly implement his style of play at the club.
Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo is another transfer target and would improve the club’s chances of challenging for the title next season.
Juventus have a sizeable gap to make up on Inter Milan, having finished 24 points behind them in Serie A last time around.
It is worth noting that Juventus lost just five league games last season, but 14 draws ultimately scuppered their hopes of finishing closer to Inter.
Motta’s appointment could be the catalyst for the club to mount a sustained title challenge this term, and Inter would do well not to underestimate the threat they pose.
Winning Serie A in his first season in charge would be a dream result for Motta, and it is not beyond him to achieve the feat.
Success in the Champions League will likely have to wait a little longer, but the new manager may well be the man who guides them to the promised land.

 
 
