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Juventus’ best signing was to keep Dybala and Alex Sandro away from Barcelona and Chelsea

Juventus’ best signing was to keep Dybala and Alex Sandro away from Barcelona and Chelsea

Another summer transfer campaign has come to an end. As for Juventus, their best signing was to keep both Paulo Dybala and Alex Sandro away from Barcelona and Chelsea. The summer transfer window was not as exciting as the one of 2016 (Dani Alves, Benatia, Pjanic, Pjaca, Higuain) but the club made some very good investments.

This season’s starting XI is slightly weaker than last season’s, but Max Allegri will have to make the difference this season. He can use as much systems as he wants: 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 3-5-2, 4-3-2-1. The biggest managers are those who change systems depending on their players they have (Lippi, Capello, Ancelotti), not the other way around (Zeman).

GOALKEEPERS: Szczesny is better than Neto, but Buffon will still be, of course, the regular starter. Simply irreplaceable.

DEFENCE: Weaker than last season. It would be stupid to deny that the departures of Bonucci and Dani Alves will be painless. Lichtsteiner, Barzargli and Chiellini are one year older, De Sciglio and Howedes are new signings and Rugani will need to make the difference in his first year as a possible regular starter. It could either be the year of his consecration or the year of his ‘destruction’.

MIDFIELD: Better than last season, but Emre Can would have been a perfect fit for this Juventus side. Big clubs never sell their player until they have a replacement ready. Lemina and Rincon left Turin, Matuidi and Bentancur landed at the Allianz Stadium. The Frenchman should become a regular starter soon in place of either Pjanic or Khedira.

ATTACK: Definitely stronger than last season. Bernardeschi and Douglas Costa are more than simple alternatives. This year Mandzukic will be playing on the wings but could be also a back-up for Gonzalo Higuain who is the player who played the most minutes last season. Douglas Costa will be battling it out with Cuadrado on the right and Bernardeschi is both a replacement for Dybala as well as a possible starter on the right. Oh, do not forget Marko Pjaca. Juventus’ attacking department is definitely the best thing this side has to offer this season.

Stefano Discreti, translated and adapted by Lorenzo Bettoni