Juventus Didn’t Enjoy from a Manifest New Coach’s Bump

Juventus failed the acid test against Napoli over the weekend, as a win in a stadium where they have now lost seven meetings in a row would have signified their return to elite levels, and instead, they continue to stutter despite sacking Igor Tudor and hiring Luciano Spalletti, Corriere dello Sport informs.

Their numbers haven’t improved much. The Croatian gaffer was at the helm for 11 tilts, while his successor for 8. The xG has gone up by just 0,1, from 1.4 to 1.5. The same goes for the number of shots per game: 15,5 against 15.4. There’s been a more marked rise in the attempts on goal, 6.25 vs 5.

Juventus continue to be suspect in the back, and injuries haven’t helped Spalletti. The Bianconeri were conceding 1.4 times per game under Tudor, pretty equal to their xG, while they have allowed one goal per game after pulling the plug, but more than the expected ones, 5.91. The opponents’ shots have decreased from 14,1 (4.3 on goal) to 8.5 (2.6).

The point average is marginally better as far as Serie A is concerned, 1.5 vs 1.6, but the Tuscan manager has collected one victory and one draw in the UEFA Champions League, where they were winless beforehand.

Our Take on Spalletti and Juventus

No boss has a magic wand, and their roster is deeply flawed, especially if some key pieces are missing. More than anything, the coaching change has taken away an alibi to the players. Their attitude and command in easier fixtures have been much better, while they never looked in control beforehand. They have to show it in crunch matches too to turn the corner. Looking at the big picture, they could be in real trouble if Serie A doesn’t get a fifth UCL team this season.