Daniele Rugani Shows Juventus Have a Bright Future in Win over Empoli

Speaking to reporters at his pre-match press conference, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said that his side's meeting with Empoli “marks the beginning of a mini eight-match championship for us.”

Indeed, heading into Saturday's game at the top of the Serie A table but just three points ahead of closest rivals Napoli, the Bianconeri knew a win was vital against the Tuscan visitors led by coach Marco Giampaolo.

A goal from Mario Mandzukic proved to be the difference as Empoli gave an impressive account of themselves, but one of their former players arguably deserved man-of-the-match honours at Juventus Stadium.

Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Daniele Rugani has been integrated slowly into the team, the presence of so many high-quality defenders both helping and hurting his progress. He made just his fifth start of the league campaign on Saturday.

The Old Lady's success over the last four seasons has undoubtedly been built upon the Italian trio of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, while the club also boasts other international-calibre defenders like Martin Caceres and Stephan Lichtsteiner.

The presence of those five has meant that playing time for Rugani has been hard to find, with his appearance against Empoli just his 14th in all competitions, with half that total coming as a substitute.

Yet it was also his third start in Juve's last four Serie A fixtures, and his performance reflected that continuity. As the FourFourTwo StatsZone graphic in the tweet above highlights, Rugani recorded two tackles, two interceptions and three clearances against Empoli, also recovering the ball a game-high 11 times.

His impressive ability in possession was also evident, connecting with 35 of his 39 pass attempts (89.7 percent) while successfully completing both his attempted take-ons to skilfully evade opponents.

MARCO BERTORELLO/Getty Images

“He did well, like the others, but young players must be given the time to gain experience without pressure,” Allegri told Sports Mediaset (h/t Football Italia) shortly after the final whistle, while Rugani was also clearly pleased with his display, per Juventus.com:

"

Displays such as tonight’s certainly help to boost self-confidence. I feel like I’m becoming more composed all the time and I thank the staff and also my defensive colleagues, who have helped me a great deal. I’ve still so many things to learn both in training and in the matches.

I’m looking to take away whatever I can from every single moment to make sure that I improve with every passing day. The pressures and objectives here are different to elsewhere I’ve been, where there’s less time to grow and you play to win every single match, but I’m gradually getting used to this way of thinking and I hope to keep moving in the right direction.

"

That patience and maturity should perhaps be expected, given both the names ahead of him and his status at the club. Originally signed from Empoli back in 2012, Rugani was loaned back to the Azzurri a year later and spent two years there before returning this summer and signing a long-term contract.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

According to the club's most recent financial statement—released in February, per Football Italia—the defender has already extended that deal by 12 months, meaning he is now tied to the Turin giants until 2021.

“Daniele arrived as a 21-year-old, has come on a great deal and is on the right track for a guy who has 10 to 15 seasons at Juventus ahead of him,” Giorgio Chiellini told Mediaset recently (h/t Goal.com). “When you arrive here you can't expect to play every game in your first season, that's also how it was for me. He's developing steadily, and he just needs to keep on going.”

Evidently doing just that, performances like this one bode well for both Rugani and Juventus, allowing the player to progress while the club is rewarded for finding the talent needed to sustain its success for years to come.