Grading Massimiliano Allegri on Juventus' 2015/16 Season

In May 2015, after Massimiliano Allegri had delivered a Serie A and Coppa Italia double to Juventus, the club’s director general recalled the reception the coach had received in the days after he had arrived in Turin to replace Antonio Conte.

“I remember I was in the car with Allegri one time, fans were livid and they started spitting and throwing eggs at the car,” Beppe Marotta told Stadio Sprint (h/t Forza Italian Football), going on to state his belief that two trophies—plus a place in the UEFA Champions League final—had vindicated the decision to appoint the former AC Milan boss.

Yet by late October of that same year, opinion had gone full circle, and once again Allegri was a man under pressure. Taking just five points from their opening six games, the Bianconeri had continued to struggle, sitting 12th after 10 weeks of the campaign and looking highly unlikely to defend their position as champions.

However, what happened from that point was sensational. Allegri steered the team almost perfectly, and Juventus won 25 of their next 26 matches to reel in—and then comfortably surpass—the early leaders.

They racked up points at a rate none of their domestic opponents could match, setting a club record for consecutive victories (15) and a new league-high mark for clean sheets as Gigi Buffon went 10 games without conceding a single goal.

It was undeniably the greatest comeback in Italian football history, with Juventus again lifting the Coppa Italia and becoming the first side to complete the double in successive seasons, a perfect exclamation mark on an unforgettable campaign.

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Grading Allegri’s impact on Juve’s 2015/16 season is difficult, however, with the coach having made some mistakes in those early weeks. His decision to select Simone Padoin as the central player in his three-man midfield was undoubtedly to blame for some of those surprising defeats, although there were some extenuating circumstances.

Injuries crippled the team in the opening months, with both Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio missing, leaving the coach with few options to choose from. Allegri also took Alvaro Morata off in the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, robbing his side of an attacking outlet and allowing the Bavarian giants to find a way back into the tie.

That ultimately led to Juve’s elimination in the round of 16, but that must be balanced against the fact that the Livorno native was also responsible for numerous changes that had a positive effect over the course of the entire campaign.

Indeed, Juve’s winning run began on October 31 against Torino; substitutes Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado combined for the latter’s vital last-minute goal.

Matches against Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Fiorentina were also swung by substitutes, as was the title-deciding clash with Napoli when Simone Zaza snatched all three points from the bench.

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It happened again this past weekend, with Alvaro Morata netting against AC Milan with his second touch, smashing home a cross from fellow sub Cuadrado to seal the Coppa Italia triumph after Allegri introduced the Spaniard during extra time.

Young players like Daniele Rugani, Mario Lemina and Paulo Dybala also benefitted from the coach’s guidance, while he deserves major credit for his handling of Paul Pogba, as the French midfielder’s impact was vastly improved this term.

Earlier this month, the club announced via their official website that the 48-year-old had extended his contract until 2018, while Allegri told RAI Uno (h/t Football Italia) that he sees himself remaining in Turin even beyond that;

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My future? It’s at Juve, the club and I share everything. We’ve started a new cycle with 10 lads with a nine preceding their date of birth, and to remain on par with the major clubs in Europe, given the difference in revenue, it takes a well-organised club like Juve. I hope to stay here for a long time, because I’m happy.

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With another superb season in the books, Juventus undoubtedly share that opinion, despite there being some room for improvement in a talent-laden squad.

Such a young team will grow stronger over the coming seasons, and Allegri seems the ideal man to lead this group to even greater glory than he already has.

Grade: A-