5 Bold Predictions for Juventus in 2016
There is little doubt that 2015 was a good year for Juventus, with the Turin giants completing their maiden 12 months under coach Massimiliano Allegri by claiming the domestic double for the first time in two decades and reaching the Champions League final.
The Bianconeri also rallied after a difficult start to the current campaign, with new signings Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic helping the club to overcome the loss of Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo.
It is difficult to imagine Italian football’s grand Old Lady being able to top those achievements in 2016, though, with Bayern Munich likely to prove a formidable opponent in the Champions League next month.
Pep Guardiola’s men are likely to prevent the club going as far in UEFA’s elite competition this time around, but what follows here is a look at five predictions for what Juventus and their players may achieve in the new year.
Alvaro Morata to Better His 2014/15 Goal Tally
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If this term began poorly for Juventus, then it is difficult to argue that any player was affected as much as Alvaro Morata. The Spanish striker was one of the club’s most valuable players in 2014/15, but this season has seen him relegated to the bench after struggling to make any real impact on the field.
Indeed, the 23-year-old has scored just three goals so far in the current campaign, with the last of those coming against Bologna back in early October. The emergence of Mario Mandzukic in the past two months has been a major factor, with the Croatian supplanting Morata in coach Massimiliano Allegri’s preferred XI.
Yet—having seen him fire Juve into the Champions League final last term—there is little doubting the former Real Madrid star’s quality. It is therefore somewhat easy to predict Morata will better last season’s tally of 15 goals in all competitions this season, with a return to form expected in the coming weeks.
It is worth noting that he had struck just four times before the 2014/15 winter break, so improving his tally by two goals this time around is certainly not beyond him.
…And Remain in Turin
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Perhaps the biggest issue with Morata since his arrival has been the constant talk of him returning to Real Madrid.
Upon signing the striker, Juventus revealed via their official website that the Spanish club retained a buy-back option on the player, allowing them to re-sign him in the summer of 2016 or 2017.
Set at a maximum of €30 million, the lure of Morata’s home-town club is obviously strong, but it would be no surprise to see him line up in the famous black-and-white stripes once again in 2016/17.
“Morata is our player, I can only see his future at Juventus,” club vice-president Pavel Nedved told Tuttosport earlier this year (h/t Goal.com). “He is a great player and I believe that he is still only at 60 percent of his full potential.”
“Morata represents the future of Juventus,” the retired midfielder continued, and the man himself made his own feelings on the matter clear, dismissing talk of a return to the Santiago Bernabeu during an interview with Radio Marca.
“It's true that on paper I could go back to Madrid,” Morata said when asked about a return (h/t ESPN FC), “but there are some things that are worth more than a simple clause, such as a person's happiness.”
Paulo Dybala to Top Carlos Tevez
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Standing in stark contrast to Morata’s struggles, Paulo Dybala has been something of a revelation since joining Juventus back in the summer.
As discussed previously here, the Argentinian striker has become indispensable for coach Massimiliano Allegri, and the team looks much more dangerous with him on the field.
According to their official website, the Turin giants paid €32 million—with a further €8 million in potential bonuses—for Dybala, a fee he has already begun to repay. The 22-year-old has bagged 11 goals and four assists in all competitions, and he could well surpass the figures posted by Carlos Tevez in 2014/15.
The former Manchester United star weighed in with 20 league goals last term, narrowly losing out to Mauro Icardi and Luca Toni in the race to be named Serie A’s leading scorer. He also added seven assists, but as Dybala adapts to playing in a deeper role, he might achieve even greater impact than his predecessor.
“When I arrived I thought I would be playing as a centre-forward like I had done at Palermo,” Dybala told Sky Italia recently (h/t Juve’s official website). “The boss asked me instead to operate a little deeper and get involved in the play as much as possible.”
Dybala has done just that, and he will need only a small uplift in production to better Tevez’s accomplishments.
A Juventus Player Will Win Euro 2016
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With the Bianconeri enjoying immense success at club level, it would be no surprise to see a number of the club’s players carry that over into the international arena.
The UEFA European Championships await this summer, and Juventus are blessed to have a number of their current squad expected to play major roles at the tournament.
The likes of Gigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci and Claudio Marchisio will likely be part of Antonio Conte’s Italy squad, while Sami Khedira (Germany), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Switzerland) and Alvaro Morata (Spain) should also travel with their respective countries.
With Paul Pogba and Patrice Evra regulars for host nation France, it would be good to see at least one Juventus player on the winner’s podium when Euro 2016 is over.
New World Transfer Record?
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Perhaps no player is expected to deliver more than Paul Pogba this season, with the French midfielder now firmly established as one of European football’s most valuable assets after continual improvement at Juventus.
Like the rest of the side, he struggled in the first few months but has since returned to prominence, explaining in a recent interview with Turin-based newspaper La Stampa just what has changed (h/t Football Italia):
"Obviously without Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez it is a different Juventus. There’s more responsibility on the other players and we have to focus more on working as a unit. The same is true for me.
Before I had Pirlo by my side and one of our opponents was always marking him. Now they put the same marker on me. I have to find the right moment to make the pass.
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Pogba has made a determined effort to do just that, already weighing in with four goals and five assists in all competitions this term. Given that he managed just five assists in total during 2014/15, that is just one facet of his game that has improved, while his goal direct from a free-kick against Torino last month highlights another.
Should he decide to move on this summer, there is little doubt Juventus would look to receive a world-record sum, and Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola told Tuttosport he believes they are likely to achieve that aim.
“What are the chances of Pogba staying next season? We don’t know yet,” Raiola said recently (h/t Football Italia). “Paul will decide based on the offers on the table and what he feels inside. He was already in the same situation last summer.”
“The player has grown and with him his price tag, so I think €100 million won’t be enough.”
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