What Winning the Champions League Would Mean for Juventus and Serie A

In what has been a stunning campaign, there is the very real possibility that Juventus could be crowned European champions on June 6. Their march to the final of UEFA’s elite competition has been a revelation, with both Massimiliano Allegri and his players deserving huge credit for their incredible season.

Standing between them and the ultimate triumph is Barcelona, arguably the continent’s most potent side with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar possessing the ability to shred even the best defences. Yet, with Gigi Buffon in superb form behind a back line that is among the finest around, that is exactly what the Turin-based side have, and they head to Germany fully believing they can win.

“They are the strongest team in the world,” Allegri conceded in an interview with il Tirreno (h/t Football Italia) last week, going on to insist his side will look to do more than simply frustrate their opponents. “We’re feeling good, and we’ll go there to play. I’m serious, we will play."

While it remains to be seen just how expressive the Bianconeri are once the match gets underway, they have shown on numerous occasions throughout 2014-15 that they are capable of beating anyone. Should they manage the unthinkable and emerge victorious at the Olympiastadion against the Catalan giants however, what would that mean for both Juventus themselves and indeed Italian football in general?

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For the club it would mark a historic treble, adding the Champions League trophy to the Serie A crown and Coppa Italia they have already clinched this term. Only Inter have managed that feat, and La Madama has only won this competition twice before, a record that stands in stark contrast to her regular domestic success.

To once again be recognised as Europe’s best would reinforce the club’s reputation, and perhaps go some way to enabling Juventus to hold on to the likes of Paul Pogba and other young stars. It remains to be seen if the likes of Carlos Tevez or Andrea Pirlo would opt to end their spells with the club if they win, but a victory could only help in the long term.

For the rest of Serie A, it is much more difficult to see what the significance of a Bianconeri victory would bring. The strong showing by a number of teams—notably semi-finalists Napoli and Fiorentina—in this season’s Europa League highlights a resurgence, but recent results perhaps hint at something deeper.

The chasm between Juventus and her domestic rivals is already clear—as four consecutive league titles show—but wins over Inter and Napoli in the last two weeks show that it is only getting wider. Allegri rotated his side heavily for both encounters, yet even a second-string Bianconeri walked away with six points.

Over those four title-winning seasons, the gap has grown each year, finishing four points ahead of Milan back in 2011, nine over Napoli the following year and 17 ahead of Roma last term. Now awaiting that final against Barcelona, no other Serie A side has even made it to the last four of the Champions League since Inter won the competition five years ago.

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The Nerazzurri are currently languishing in mid-table and with only Sassuolo and Udinese joining the Bianconeri in effectively owning their own stadiums, the league’s other big teams are in danger of falling even further behind the Old Lady.

Milan are reportedly seeking new investment, while Roma, Lazio and Napoli have each lacked the consistency to mount a sustained challenge to her dominance. Rather than being an example to follow, Juventus are looking increasingly like an uncatchable force, taking on a similar air to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.

Winning against Barcelona could be a watershed moment for Juventus, but for the rest of Serie A, it may simply serve to showcase the gulf in class between them and the grand Old Lady.