A workout that started badly and ended worse. The Juve fresh champion of Italy loses net a Cagliari (2-0) and starts in the worst way his approach to 7 August, the day of the return game with the Lyon in Champions League.
To burn, in addition to the result (sixth defeat), is the performance of the defense (embarrassing in the two goals and they are forty) and Gonzalo Higuain, replaced a few minutes from the end by Olivieri, who throughout the race pulled twice on goal (high from a good position), dragging himself around the field as if he had an empty tank.
Now, it’s okay that Juve won the scudetto three days ago, who is tired and will have celebrated, that there were many guys from the second team on the bench, that the only goal of the game seemed to be to score Ronaldo, but fools of this kind were neither expected nor welcome.
And be patient if the season is over, but with one Champions at the gates and the need for Sarri to convince Agnelli not to give up on him after just one year is certainly not a good sign.
Among other things, a Juventus B did not go properly on the pitch, but probably the team that will face Lyon with only three exceptions: Buffon per Szczesny, Rugani by De Ligt, Bricklayer for Rabiot.
Nothing good has been seen. Below after just seven minutes for the goal of Gagliano (a boy from 2000), Juve started playing after a full quarter of an hour. But he did it as Sarri doesn’t want to. That is, carrying the ball, constantly focusing, trying improbable solutions and going at a very low pace. Not only, therefore, there was no round ball or any semblance of maneuver, but everything was done with a slowness and predictability that allowed Cagliari to close and then start again with the ball on its toes.
Opportunities were not lacking (Bonucci, Higuain, Square), but the only one created at the height of a circumventing maneuver was that of Bentancur who got his shot saved Cragno.
Cagliari, on the other hand, made Juve, using the cynicism that once belonged to the so-called Homicide Lady (definition of the eighties). So on a restart again from Gagliardo, the stubborn Simeone controlled the ball and electrocuted Buffon before Bonucci, late, tried to close. Incidentally, mistake of both.
Ronaldo, stimulated by the confrontation with Immobile, looked for the goal in many ways and it is not wrong to say that he would have deserved it for the seriousness and commitment with which he faced the match. However, when Cristiano wants to score with a stubbornness even higher than the ordinary one, he ends up conditioning the whole team. I hope for Juventus that, in nine days, his attitude will be less personalistic and more devoted to the collective.
Oddly enough he let a punishment beat from the limit a Pjanic and the Bosnian certainly went closer to transformation than he did.
I do not know if Sarri cared more about winning the game or experimenting with a starting lineup in view of the Lyon. The fact is that not even this time – that is, not even with the league title – and with the need to overturn the race with the French have we seen what he asks for, preaches and hopes for.
I reiterate a concept already expressed on the night of the title victory: this Juventus, as well as old, is tired and blown, does not make the ball travel, does not practice movement without the ball and, ultimately, is a prisoner of Ronaldo’s positions. It is not true that it starts from the left. Last night, especially in the first half, he was more central than Higuain, often risking to collide with him.
Having said all this, I venture into one of my now proverbial prophecies: not only will she be eliminated by Lyon, but Sarri – despite the contract – will not remain on the Juventus bench.
I’m afraid Pochettino will come the most loser of the losing coaches. If Sarri, before the Europa League at Chelsea, could boast eight promotions (from the minor leagues to the Serie A), Pochettino did not win anything. The perfect candidate for a declining Juve.
THE TABLE
Cagliari-Juventus 2-0 (first half 2-0)
Markers: 8’ p.t. Gagliano, 47’ p.t. Simeone
Assist: 8 ‘pt Mattiello, 47’ pt Gagliano
Cagliari (3-4-1-2): Spider; Walukievicz, Ceppitelli, Klavan; Faragò, Ionita, Rog (2 ‘st Paloschi), Mattiello; Joao Pedro (from 44 ‘st Pereiro); Simeone (39 ‘st Birsa), Gagliano (1’ st Lykogiannis). All .: Zenga
Juventus (4-3-3): Buffon; Cuadrado, Rugani, Bonucci, Alex Sandro; Bentancur (31 ‘st Peeters), Pjanic (15’ st Zanimacchia), Muratore (15 ‘st Matuidi); Bernardeschi, Higuain (44 ‘st Olivieri), Ronaldo. All .: Sarri.
Referee: Ghersini di Genova
Ammonites: 17’ p.t. Rog (C), 25’ p.t. Pjanic (J), 19’ s.t. Joao Pedro (C).
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