Power Ranking Every Juventus Player from the 2015/16 Serie A Season
Another Serie A season is over, with Juventus crowned champions for the fifth consecutive campaign. The Bianconeri will hope to continue that dominance into 2016/17, with their squad now littered with a raft of young players who could help to add more trophies to the Old Lady’s collection in the years to come.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri has overseen some superb performances this term, from veterans like Gigi Buffon and Claudio Marchisio to talented signings such as Paulo Dybala, Alex Sandro and Mario Lemina.
“Juventus are truly starting to position ourselves among the European greats,” club president Andrea Agnelli told a recent press conference, and that is largely due to a much deeper squad than in previous campaigns.
What follows is a look at each player in that group, ranking them based on their contributions to Juve’s success this term and highlighting what each brought to the side. This ignores any UEFA Champions League or Coppa Italia display, focusing solely on what happened in the club’s 38 Serie A fixtures.
Any statistics included in this post are taken from WhoScored.com unless otherwise stated.
Unranked Players
1 of 24
The following players have been eliminated from this ranking after failing to make five appearances in 2015/16, with three of them having moved on to other clubs early in the campaign:
Neto (3 appearances)
Andrea Favilli (1 substitute appearance)
Rubinho (no appearances, 1 red card)
Kingsley Coman (1 appearance)
Fernando Llorente (1 substitute appearance)
Mauricio Isla (1 substitute appearance)
23. Martín Caceres
2 of 24
Apps (sub): 5 (1) Goals: none Assists: none
It seems Martin Caceres’ time with Juventus has come to a close, with his contract expiring this summer and club director general Beppe Marotta telling Radio Kiss Kiss (h/t Football Italia) that “he’s free to find an agreement with whoever he wants to.”
Perhaps that should come as little surprise, with the Uruguay international enduring a hugely disappointing campaign.
Making just six Serie A appearances—and only 11 in total—it is unlikely he will be seen in the club’s black-and-white shirt again.
22. Hernanes
3 of 24
Apps (sub): 10 (4) Goals: 1 Assists: 1
Signed from rivals Inter Milan, Juventus clearly saw Hernanes as the type of creative midfielder that could add some attacking impetus to the side.
In reality, the Brazilian was clearly unable to do that, seemingly a step behind those around him and struggling to cope with the pressure of playing for the Bianconeri.
It will be interesting to see if he is retained for next season as—with the Old Lady looking for Champions League success—other players will surely arrive to fill the role he has failed to make his own.
21. Roberto Pereyra
4 of 24
Apps (sub): 9 (4) Goals: none Assists: 1
Last season, Roberto Pereyra arrived at Juventus from Udinese and provided some much needed thrust in midfield, his pace and directness proved to be the ideal complement to his new team-mates.
This term has seen the Argentina international struggle to match that impact, looking laboured and lacking the sharpness that had previously been such an important part of his game.
20. Kwadwo Asamoah
5 of 24
Apps (sub): 6 (5) Goals: none Assists: 1
Kwadwo Asamoah has had a strange tenure with Juventus, arriving from Udinese as a highly regarded midfielder but instantly used as a wing-back. He subsequently struggled with a raft of injuries that limited him to just 13 Serie A starts over the past two seasons.
That forced the club to seek other options, and with great depth in midfield and a choice of Patrice Evra or Alex Sandro at left-back, Asamoah may find himself moving on this summer should he want more regular playing time.
19. Simone Padoin
6 of 24
Apps (sub): 6 (6) Goals: 1 Assists: none
Once again used as the human victory cigar, Simone Padoin was usually deployed as a late-game substitute once the Bianconeri had secured a positive result.
It is a role which has now seen the midfielder win five Serie A titles, bringing veteran savvy and a relentless work ethic that has clearly influenced this young Juventus squad.
He struggled in the first few games of the season, however, with Allegri forced to use him as a starter when the side was hit with a raft of injuries to those ahead of him, leading to some surprising and disappointing results.
19. Stefano Sturaro
7 of 24
Apps (sub): 11 (8) Goals: 1 Assists: none
Stefano Sturaro has continued to contribute to Juventus in impressive fashion, with the 23-year-old playing with surprising maturity and again making an impact in the Champions League, where he netted in their last-16 clash with Bayern Munich in February.
A tireless runner, Sturaro—who will hope to improve upon his 11 starts next term—averaged 1.6 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 23.9 passes per game in Serie A, according to figures from WhoScored.com.
17. Giorgio Chiellini
8 of 24
Apps (sub): 21 (3) Goals: 1 Assists: none
The passion and drive that Giorgio Chiellini brings to Juventus cannot be overstated, with the Pisa native always making his presence felt at the heart of the Bianconeri back line.
Yet this season, his on-field performances failed to match those intangible qualities, and the team began to look more assured without him.
He also struggled with injuries and must be apportioned at least partial responsibility for rushing back to action before he was ready.
But it must also be noted that his most recent display against Sampdoria last Saturday was flawless, and Chiellini could return to his previous status as a mainstay of Allegri's starting XI.
16. Simone Zaza
9 of 24
Apps (sub): 5 (14) Goals: 5 Assists: none
Simone Zaza played an important role for the Bianconeri this season, settling quickly following his big-money move from Sassuolo.
According to Juve's official website, they paid a fee of €18 million for the striker last summer, but he still found himself as the club’s fourth-choice striker.
Yet despite playing just 693 minutes this term, per statistics provided by WhoScored.com, Zaza has scored eight goals and was a reliable back-up for the likes of Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata in attack.
However, Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia) recently stated its belief that AS Roma, Chelsea and AC Milan are interested in the 24-year-old, and Juventus will hope to convince him to stay with them next term.
15. Daniele Rugani
10 of 24
Apps (sub): 11 (6) Goals: none Assists: none
The early part of the 2015/16 season saw Daniele Rugani struggle to find space in the side, Juve’s poor results forcing Allegri to field the more established players together as they looked for a winning formula.
An injury to Giorgio Chiellini meant that suddenly Rugani became a vital member of the team, and the 21-year-old did not disappoint, the Bianconeri keeping 11 clean sheets in his 17 league appearances.
14. Mario Lemina
11 of 24
Apps (sub): 7 (3) Goals: 2 Assists: none
While Mario Lemina may have been outshone by a number of other players who arrived alongside him last summer, the young midfielder has potentially established himself as a vital cog in Allegri's plans in the near future.
The Gabon international proved he can deputise for Claudio Marchisio in middle of the park, shielding the defence and maintaining possession with equal aplomb.
As a result, it came as little surprise when Juventus announced on their official website that they had paid €9.5 million to make his move from Olympique Marseille permanent last month.
13. Stephan Lichtsteiner
12 of 24
Apps (sub): 22 (4) Goals: none Assists: 1
As reliable as always, Stephan Lichtsteiner shows no signs of slowing down in his fifth season with Juventus, remaining solid in defence while contributing to the attack whenever possible.
The Bianconeri need to invest in a second right-back this summer, but the Switzerland international has shown he is a player that Allegri can rely on to provide veteran leadership and a tireless amount of effort on the flank.
12. Alvaro Morata
13 of 24
Apps (sub): 16 (18) Goals: 7 Assists: 7
Before discussing the contribution of Alvaro Morata, it is important to again note that this ranking does not take performances in the Champions League into consideration in any way.
Arguably no other Juve striker is as important in Europe, the competition providing the perfect stage for the Spain international’s pace on the counter attack.
Yet in the league he was slightly less effective, prompting Allegri to turn to Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala with increasing regularity.
However, the former Real Madrid man still made important contributions, netting twice in a derby win over Torino and grabbing a winning goal against Fiorentina as the title race drew to a conclusion.
11. Alex Sandro
14 of 24
Apps (sub): 15 (7) Goals: 2 Assists: 3
Arriving in a foreign league for a large transfer fee with an established player in your role cannot be easy, but Alex Sandro has handled that scenario remarkably well.
Patrice Evra is important to this side, but the Brazilian possesses both the defensive awareness and attacking intent to change games for the Bianconeri.
His run and cross against Torino back in October led to Juan Cuadrado’s late winning goal, meaning Sandro played a vital role in the victory that sparked Juve’s remarkable run to the Serie A title.
It was far from a one-off, and the former FC Porto man slowly became more and more important to Allegri and featured with increasing regularity as the campaign progressed.
10. Mario Mandzukic
15 of 24
Apps (sub): 24 (3) Goals: 10 Assists: 4
Where Morata proved to be the ideal man for Champions League nights, Mario Mandzukic adapted to life in Serie A remarkably quickly, and his goals against AC Milan and Lazio were vital in tipping the balance of power back in Juve’s direction.
His partnership with Paulo Dybala became a valuable weapon to Allegri as the campaign wore on, with the coach explaining his impact in an interview with Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) following April’s win over Fiorentina:
"People maybe don’t realise, quite a few in fact, but Mandzukic is a very technically-gifted player. He rarely gets a pass wrong and gave a fantastic assist to Paul Pogba, as he did to Sami Khedira the other day. Paulo Dybala catches the eye because he’s quick and agile, but watch Mandzukic timing his runs and choosing his passes.
"
9. Patrice Evra
16 of 24
Apps (sub): 24 (2) Goals: 2 Assists: 3
Just as Sandro shone following his move from FC Porto, Patrice Evra rose to the challenge of retaining his place with yet another flawless campaign.
The France international clearly helped his new team-mate settle into the role, but he still made his own telling contributions both in attack and defence.
Averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game, according to WhoScored.com, Evra also netted two goals and laid on three assists to help Juventus claim the league title once again.
8. Sami Khedira
17 of 24
Apps (sub): 20 (none) Goals: 5 Assists: 4
Arriving on a free transfer from Real Madrid, Sami Khedira brought veteran savvy to Allegri’s squad and the coach has undoubtedly been impressed by the impact of the 2014 World Cup winner.
“He’s performed well because he’s a quality player,” the coach told a recent press conference. “He’ll have to be handled better next year, but I’m happy with his contribution, especially seeing as he endured two stop-start seasons before coming to us.”
Proving to be the ideal man alongside Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio, it is remarkable to note that Khedira has yet to feature in a losing side for Juventus after 20 Serie A appearances.
7. Juan Cuadrado
18 of 24
Apps (sub): 16 (12) Goals: 4 Assists: 5
If Khedira provided a calming influence, then fellow new arrival Juan Cuadrado was responsible for adding some much needed unpredictability to the Juventus attack.
Landing on a season-long loan from Chelsea, the Bianconeri will hope to hold onto the Colombia international after a stellar campaign.
Netting a crucial winner in October’s derby win over Torino, Cuadrado also scored the only goal of a March victory against Sassuolo and weighed in with one goal and one assist against former club Fiorentina.
According to WhoScored.com, the 3.1 fouls per game he suffered were a team-high, with opponents struggling to defend against his frightening combination of pace and skill on the ball.
6. Andrea Barzagli
19 of 24
Apps (sub): 31 (none) Goals: 1 Assists: none
If Chiellini suffered a decline in ability, no such accusations can be levelled at Andrea Barzagli, the 35-year-old remaining as dependable as ever in defence and rarely being caught out of position.
His calm nature and incredible ability to read the game makes him an indispensable member of the side, with Juve’s official website announcing they had rewarded Barzagli with a new contract that sees him tied to the club until 2018.
5. Claudio Marchisio
20 of 24
Apps (sub): 23 (none) Goals: none Assists: 2
When looking for Claudio Marchisio’s importance to Juventus, a quick glance at the starting XIs from the early part of 2015/16 is an ideal starting point.
The midfielder missed a number of games with injury, but his return to the central role instantly helped the Bianconeri uncover their best combination of players and improve at both ends of the field.
Marchisio’s tactical awareness ensures he protects the defence perfectly, while his precise passing keeps the attack ticking over and leading the team with an average of 63.5 per game, according to WhoScored.com.
4. Gianluigi Buffon
21 of 24
Apps (sub): 35 (none) Clean Sheets: 21
What more can be said about a 38-year-old World Cup winner who remains one of the continent’s best in his position?
Rather than show signs of ageing, Gigi Buffon goes from strength to strength, setting a new Serie A record with 10 consecutive clean sheets, while his final tally of 21 was six more than any other goalkeeper in the league.
Furthermore, Buffon was a flawless leader for the Bianconeri, rallying the side after their early struggles and pushing them to again finish the season as champions.
3. Leonardo Bonucci
22 of 24
Apps (sub): 35 (1) Goals: 3 Assists: 1
While Buffon was impeccable in goal, much of the credit has to go to Leonardo Bonucci after the defender held the back line together throughout the season.
Understandably, Rugani needed time to adjust, while Chiellini and Barzagli missed a number of matches with injury, leaving the No. 19 as the only constant presence.
He did so impeccably, with figures courtesy of WhoScored.com showing he averaged 1.1 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per game in a team-high 36 Serie A appearances, with the same source showing he also made more passes than any other member of the squad.
2. Paulo Dybala
23 of 24
Apps (sub): 29 (5) Goals: 19 Assists: 9
Paulo Dybala had a debut season to remember with Juventus, netting in the Supercoppa Italiana on his first appearance before leading the side with a team-high 19 goals in Serie A action.
Adding nine assists—a tally only bettered by Paul Pogba—the Argentina native showed little signs of being overawed by the fee Juventus paid Palermo to secure his signature, a matter discussed in this previous post.
“It’s my first Scudetto and I’m absolutely delighted,” he told Sky Italia last weekend (h/t Juventus.com).
“After a difficult start, we’ve overcome every challenge to head in our direction. I played a lot and put in the hard yards, scoring plenty of goals along the way.”
1. Paul Pogba
24 of 24
Apps (sub): 33 (2) Goals: 8 Assists: 12
The best of the best. No player did more this season to maintain Juve’s winning momentum than Paul Pogba, who lifted his game to the highest possible level as the pressure grew, ensuring the Bianconeri achieved their goals and arguably became the best midfielder in Serie A along the way.
"I'm satisfied with my season, I think I've improved and the statistics—the assists and goals—confirm this," Pogba told RMC Sport recently (h/t ESPN FC). "I've beaten all of my records this year and I'm pretty proud of myself. I'm taking more risks now because there are fewer of us to do so.”
"Before we had [Andrea] Pirlo, [Arturo] Vidal and [Carlos] Tevez and now I take control of the game a bit more,” he added, and it is difficult to dispute that as he added four goals and seven assists in his last 10 appearances of 2015/16.
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