Opinion: Three things we learned from Juve’s 2-2 draw vs Brest

Club News

August 4, 2024 - 10:00 am

Following a 0-3 defeat at the hands of Nuremberg last week, Juventus managed to register an improved result in their second friendly of the summer, drawing 2-2 against Brest in Saturday night’s encounter in Pescara.

After a goalless first half, Mahdi Camara pounced on a scramble inside the Bianconeri’s box to put the French side in the lead early in the second period. However, Dusan Vlahovic equalized the score from the spot, while Douglas Luiz and Danilo combined to put the Old Lady ahead from a corner kick. Yet, Brest were able to break the offside trap to score their second on the night.

While summer friendlies aren’t the ideal occasion to draw conclusions, here are three things that we learned from Juve’s 2-2 draw against Brest.

Major Blunders Await in the Store

In Thiago Motta’s “Big risk, big reward” approach, we can only mistake moments of mayhem at the back. So was already on display on Saturday, especially in the way the coach wants the team to build from the back.

It is evident how one misplaced pass in the playing sequence can offer the opposition an inviting goal-scoring opportunity on a silver plate.

While this approach aims to lure the opponents forward and create spaces for the Juventus attackers to exploit in enemy territories, it will certainly cause some occasional chaos.

We can only hope that the pros will outweigh the cons.

The New Locatelli

Since the start of pre-season, reporters have noted how there’s something strikingly different about Manuel Locatelli’s attitude compared to previous campaigns, and it was surely on display in Pescara. The 26-year-old had always behaved as a true professional, but now, he just seems to be a man possessed.

Perhaps it was his omission from the Euro 2024 squad, or the fact that he didn’t showcase his best football under Max Allegri, but it just feels that the Italian’s focus and determination are on a whole new level. He has also embodied Motta’s philosophy, cementing himself as the manager’s official spokesman on the pitch.

The midfielder was everywhere on the pitch, giving instructions to his teammates and engaging in tactical talks as if he were in the midst of a decisive Champions League contest.

This is the sort of attitude that can take his game to the next stage.

Koopmeiners Missing

Although Nicolo Fagioli didn’t embarrass himself in the attacking-midfielder slot, it just felt that the Italian was playing in someone else’s shoes. The Italy international is much more at ease when pulling the strings in a deeper role, and Motta knows it fully well.

Nevertheless, the coach was forced to experiment in the absence of a natural attacking midfielder, especially following Fabio Miretti’s injury. And with all due respect to the youngster, he still has a long way to go before proving himself worthy of a starting role.

Hence, last night’s action served as another stern reminder of why Cristiano Giuntoli and Motta are desperately trying to sign Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners. Simply put, Juventus cannot expect to launch a serious challenge for the Scudetto title while lacking a top-notch player in this crucial playing position.

The Dutchman has been heavily linked with the Bianconeri for several months now, so it remains to be seen if the transfer saga will finally reach a happy ending in August.