After getting dethroned by their hated rivals Inter, Juve’s management decided to put an end to Andrea Pirlo’s short tenure.
Evidently, the era of ill-advised adventures is over, as the Old Lady opted for the tried and tested option. Thus, Massimiliano Allegri retuned to Continassa, much to the delight of the fans who bore witness to his triumphs during five years of complete domestic domination.
The returning manager has reunited with some of his old favorites, but also found some new faces who arrived to Turin during his two-year hiatus from the sport.
Following a demoralizing campaign, several Bianconeri stars are in-need of a boost, and here are three players whose careers could be reignited by the former Cagliari and Milan tactician.
3- Federico Bernardeschi
Now let’s be realistic for a second. The young prospect that we saw at Fiorentina and who was tipped to become one of the best players of his generation will never be able to truly fulfill his initial promise.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Bernardeschi can’t be a useful player for Juve’s cause.
Whilst Maurizio Sarri used him as a central attacking midfielder, and Pirlo converted him into a fullback at times, the Italian displayed his best football in Turin under the tutelage of Max, and he can be very useful as an impact sub.
2- Weston McKennie
One would expect this list to be filled with some of Allegri’s old pupils. However, the American is already gaining the affection of the tactician during the ongoing pre-season.
The former Schalke man started his first campaign in Turin on a strong note, before fading in the second part of the season, looking like a man with no direction.
Luckily for the midfielder, his new manager has a clear vision on what needs to be done to improve his game, as he could be set to play a role similar to the one held by Arturo Vidal at Juventus.
1- Rodrigo Bentancur
Allegri is renowned for his strategy of slowly grooming young players on a technical and tactical levels, and Bentancur was arguably one of his more delicate projects.
Just when the Uruguayan seemed to be ready to lead the team’s midfield, his last campaign proved to be a major letdown.
The departure of Miralem Pjanic forced the 24-year-old to play as a regista at times, and he didn’t always fare well in the deep role – as witnessed during the Porto encounter.
Nevertheless, the Italian coach is planning on reverting his old pupil back to a more advanced role on the pitch, and the presence of a trusting mentor could make all the difference for the player, as he prepares for what should be a vital season in his young playing career.
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