The Highs and Lows for Juventus in 2015
There is little doubt that the last 12 months have been fantastic for Juventus, the Italian giants arguably enjoying one of the best spells in the club’s long history.
Looking back now as the year comes to a close, it seems to be the perfect time to reflect on what happened to the Bianconeri in 2015.
While the Turin-based side celebrated some epic moments that will be remembered fondly for decades, the grand Old Lady also endured some tough periods and those should be equally noted.
What follows is a look back at the calendar year, breaking it down into the best and worst moments of the year as we recall the highs and the lows of Juve’s 2015.
High: A Fourth Consecutive League Title
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Juve’s first order of business this year was to retain their Serie A crown, a competition they have dominated since moving to their new stadium in the summer of 2011. Indeed, the Bianconeri had won the title in each of the previous three seasons, but last term was expected to be their most difficult task yet.
Losing coach Antonio Conte while the likes of AS Roma and Napoli strengthened their squads, it was expected that Juve would be pushed all the way in 2015/16. Yet those challenges never truly arose, allowing new boss Massimiliano Allegri and his players to enjoy what became a procession to the Scudetto.
Claiming top spot by a staggering 17 points, the Turin giants exerted total dominance over the competition, never truly looking worried as the year wore on and pulling away whenever a rival drew close.
High: First Coppa Italia Win in 20 Years
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Having retained their title, Juventus marked 2015 as a truly special year by adding victory in the Coppa Italia, a trophy they had not won in two decades.
Wins over Verona, Parma and Fiorentina saw them clinch their place in the final, where they would go head-to-head with an impressive-looking Lazio.
They would see off the Rome-based club in extra time, though, running out 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Giorgio Chiellini and Alessandro Matri.
It was the 10th time the Bianconeri had lifted the trophy, and it also marked only the third league-and-cup double in the club’s 118-year history.
High: Reaching the Champions League Final
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Not content with completely dominating Italian football, 2015 also saw the Bianconeri return to prominence on the European stage.
After struggling through a group containing Atletico Madrid, Olympiakos and Malmo, few expected Juventus to make any real impression on the Champions League.
But the knockout phase would see Allegri’s side emerge as genuine contenders, despatching Borussia Dortmund, Monaco and Real Madrid to earn a place in the final for the first time since 2003.
Lionel Messi and Barcelona would prove to be a class apart in Berlin, but Juventus showed throughout the earlier rounds that they were a force to be reckoned with once again in UEFA’s elite competition.
Low: Losing Three Key Players
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Having come so close to the ultimate prize, a number of key figures would then call an end to their time in Turin as Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal all moved on.
Vidal requested a move to Bayern Munich, while Pirlo decided to try his hand in MLS with a surprising switch to New York City FC.
There was something inevitable about Tevez’s decision to head back to Boca Juniors, with the Argentinian striker always destined to represent his childhood club again before the end of his career.
Juventus opted to not stand in his way, but the trio of departures meant a very different-looking team would start the new season once it got under way.
High: Reclaiming the Supercoppa
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Last December, Juventus travelled to Doha to contest the 2014 Supercoppa Italiana, ultimately losing on penalties to Coppa Italia winners Napoli.
Determined to reclaim the trophy this time around, they would take on Lazio at the Shanghai Stadium in China before the campaign truly began.
Facing a side they had handily despatched in that aforementioned Italian Cup showpiece, the Bianconeri would once again triumph, running out 2-0 winners in a contest they dominated from whistle-to-whistle.
Goals from new signings Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala saw Gigi Buffon raise yet another piece of silverware aloft, and it seemed 2015/16 would be yet another good season for the reigning Serie A champions.
Low: A Horrendous Start to 2015/16
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While the Supercoppa meeting with Lazio appeared to signify that Juventus would continue to retain their place atop the Serie A standings, the new season would quickly prove that things were not quite that simple.
An opening-day loss to Udinese caught many by surprise, but the vastly altered side would also lose to AS Roma, Napoli and Sassuolo while being held to draws by Chievo, Frosinone and Inter in the following weeks.
With a staggering 12 points separating them from first place, it seemed the hopes of adding a fifth consecutive title were all but over as questions began to be asked about the future of the team.
High: Three Points Away from Top Spot
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This season's poor run of form meant the Bianconeri had won just two of their opening eight matches, slumping to 14th place in the table as Torino visited Juventus Stadium for the Derby della Mole.
A 2-1 victory over their city cousins on Halloween marked a sudden turnaround, with Juventus then going on to win their last seven league games of 2015.
It is a streak which has shot them back into contention, now just three points behind leaders Inter and very much in contention for another Scudetto.
Allegri summed the situation up perfectly as he spoke to the Corriere della Sera last week, the coach reflecting on the year and looking to the future as he told them (h/t Football Italia):
"We have room for improvement, but we can have a great season. We started with 10 new players, and with some uncertainty having lost some guarantees. After the [Supercoppa] success in Shanghai we started disastrously.
Now the team is consistent. We have to continue like this, the team is growing and we mustn’t stop. Maintaining our position does not exist.
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