Sassuolo Star Domenico Berardi Must Seize Chance to Join Juventus Now
Domenico Berardi is a name long-associated with Juventus, the Turin giants taking a controlling interest in his future before the Sassuolo youngster had taken a prominent position on the Italian football landscape.
Indeed, having joined the Reggio Emilia-based club in 2010 and making his Serie B debut two years later, the Bianconeri only needed to see his first full campaign—in which he registered 11 goals and five assists—before making their move.
As their official website noted at the time, Juve sealed a co-ownership deal for Berardi the summer before he graced the top flight in 2013. Aged just 19, he would quickly prove himself capable of playing at that level, netting twice in his first five appearances before bagging a hat-trick against Sampdoria in early November.
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More goals followed, including one that helped the Neroverdi to an impressive 1-1 draw with AS Roma, before a meeting with AC Milan catapulted the forward into the attention of a much wider audience.
"On this day in 2014, Domenico Berardi scored all four goals in Sassuolo's 4-3 victory over Milan. https://t.co/ZhnZsqMt5y
— Khaled Al Nouss (@KhaledAlNouss) January 11, 2016"
That January 2014 clash would cement the feeling that Berardi was destined to be a star while simultaneously setting the defeated Rossoneri on a downward spiral that continues to affect them.
Dismantling an opponent that simply had no answer to the speed and precision of his direct attacking style, Milan looked on helplessly as the forward netted no fewer than four goals, helping his side to a stunning 4-3 victory that ultimately led to the San Siro giants sacking Massimiliano Allegri.
Clarence Seedorf, Filippo Inzaghi, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Cristian Brocchi have all tried in vain to resurrect the side, supporters looking on as their once-proud club lurches from one disaster to another while Berardi’s career has maintained its sharp upward trajectory.
Over his first three Serie A seasons and still just 21 years old, he has weighed in with a jaw-dropping 38 goals and 23 assists in 90 appearances, a return that somehow fails to highlight just how great an impact he has on matches.
Indeed, while any conversation about his talent centres around either his goalscoring ability or his penchant for collecting yellow cards—33 in that same period—Berardi is so much more than a bad-tempered marksman.
Watching Sassuolo closely any time he takes to the field is a study in constant motion, the Cariati native never allowing defenders to rest as he intelligently creates and exploits space. Dropping deep, drifting wide or running behind his marker, Berardi was caught offside just 12 times in 2015/16, aware he has the pace to comfortably outrun anyone who gives chase.
His abilities have drawn praise from a number of high-profile admirers, perhaps none more so than former Milan and Italy boss Arrigo Sacchi, who lauded him in a 2015 interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t FourFourTwo):
"Berardi is a player of great talent, a modern footballer who plays for the team all over the field. He has liveliness, intuition, temperament and strength combined with a good technique. He is an introverted youngster, but with his head on his shoulders, I don't think popularity will make him lose enthusiasm and desire to improve.
"
Having left Milan following Berardi’s one-man demolition job, Allegri was subsequently appointed by Juventus, winning a league-and-cup double last season before lifting those two trophies and the Supercoppa Italiana this term.
Yet the Old Lady’s appetite remains unsatiated, and just moments after clinching the Coppa Italia at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico earlier in May, Allegri’s thoughts had already turned to improving this all-conquering side ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.
“We’ve now won three trophies this season, an achievement which leads me to thank the players, the club and the fans, who’ve been extraordinary again tonight,” the coach said at his post-match press conference. “We now look forward to the next campaign which will present new challenges, namely the fight for a sixth straight Scudetto, retaining the Coppa Italia and performing well in the UEFA Champions League."
It is undoubtedly time for Berardi to help him achieve those aims.
Many reports—including this one from the Guardian—believe Juventus will lose Juan Cuadrado when the loan deal that brought him to the club from Chelsea expires this summer, with some notable names also expected to arrive.
According to AS, Cadena Ser, Sky Sport Italia and a number of other outlets (h/t Football Italia), Barcelona full-back Dani Alves will sign a two-year contract with Juventus, as his contract contains a clause that allows him to leave the Camp Nou on a free transfer.
That would give the Bianconeri a valuable alternative to first-choice right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, but in Europe, the team may need another more attacking option. It is this role that Berardi—who prefers playing on that flank—could fill.
Predominantly left-footed, Squawka statistics show that all seven of his Serie A goals this term came via that favoured foot, which was also responsible for all but two (both headers) of his 2014/15 tally of 15.
Berardi would also add some much-needed creativity to Allegri’s squad, with only Paul Pogba (12), Paulo Dybala (9) and Alvaro Morata (7) contributing more assists than the Sassuolo man’s tally of six. As the above Squawka graphic also shows, he would have ranked fourth in terms of chances created, meaning he could be even higher on that list when surrounded by better players.
It is not difficult to imagine that being in a locker room filled with leaders such as Gigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli and Patrice Evra would quickly rein in those aforementioned disciplinary issues, and the Juventus hierarchy seems determined to bring Berardi into that environment this summer.
“This is a group that’s difficult to improve but we always want to be more competitive,” director general Beppe Marotta recently told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia). “Berardi is a great talent, there’s a verbal agreement with Sassuolo and Juventus have the moral right of first refusal and we’re going to complete this deal.”
Those comments hinted at the fact there is a first-option clause in the player’s contract, something Sassuolo director Giovanni Carnevali confirmed when he spoke to TuttoMercatoWeb and Sky Sport Italia on Wednesday.
“With Juventus this matter has been on the table for a long time," the Neroverdi official said (h/t Football Italia). "We will soon decide what is best for the lad and it’s a matter of days. The Bianconeri have this option that does not include a deadline. We have a good rapport with Juve and will find the best solution for everyone very soon.”
With Sassuolo in the UEFA Europa League next term, they will be seeking to improve their own squad to help coach Eusebio Di Francesco thrive in the club’s debut season in continental action, but Berardi is ready to take the next step and play at an even higher level.
Juventus need him, and he needs to grasp that opportunity, for it is one that is unlikely to be available to him for much longer. The time is now.
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