ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Juventus FC

Posted by Sumeet Paul on 07/22/2010

As the memories of last season and the disastrous World Cup fade away, Bianconeri tifosi are optimistic ahead of the forthcoming campaign as new boss Gigi Del Neri ushers in a new era at the Stadio Olimpico. As pre-season swings into action, what are the expectations this season?

Diego will be hoping for a huge improvement this season ©GettyImages

With a number of new signings reporting for pre-season training, the former Sampdoria tactician will be hoping that he can make an immediate impact as Juve look to compete on three fronts. With a renewed hope of challenging for the Scudetto, many in Turin will also be expecting the club to launch a serious bid at lifting both the Europa League and Coppa Italia come next May.

Alongside former Blucerchiati colleague Beppe Marotta, the duo have brought in no less than five new faces this summer, with just over a month left until the transfer window closes. Tifosi opinion has very much been split over this summer’s signings, with some regarding certain individuals as not good enough to don the Bianconeri jersey.

With the exception of starlet Leonardo Bonucci, Juve have also drafted in Simone Pepe, Jorge Martinez, Marco Storari and Marco Motta. Despite the influx of younger and more vibrant individuals, the Juve hierarchy have come under criticism from certain factions of the Juve following. There is no doubt that these players are gifted and very talented, but many feel these are Sampdoria signings and with all due respect, a club of the stature of Juventus should be aiming higher.

It is felt within the club that this season will be the making of players such as Diego and Felipe Melo who failed to impress in their debut season in Turin. Fans can only hope that the Brazilian pairing begin to recreate the sort of form that warranted their moves to the Italian giants last year. Add to the squad the evergreen Alex Del Piero and the return of Davide Lanzafame after an impressive loan stint at Parma, things look a lot more positive.

However, Bianconeri fans know all too well that with great expectations also comes the possibility of seeing everything crash and burn, as it did last season. With a great deal of hesitancy, I predict that Juve will return to winning ways this year. A top three finish, Europa League success and a Coppa Italia to boot, all in all I believe would be a very positive first season in charge for Signor Del Neri.

With Inter looking set to hold on to many of their stars despite Jose Mourinho’s departure, and the resurgence of Roma aided by the signing of Adriano, it will be a long hard race for the Scudetto. Milan of course cannot be ruled out but with new coach Max Allegri not being provided with the funds he most certainly requires, I feel the Rossoneri are very much the underdogs in the title race this coming season. As ever...Forza Bianconeri and Buona Fortuna Signor Del Neri!

Comments

Posted by Mohammed on 07/22/2010

Thanks for the post Sumeet, we still need a LB, CB & KRASIC to complete the PUZZLE for Signor Del Neri. Then we get rid of GROSSO,ZEBINA,POULSEN,SALIHAMIDZIC,e.t.c.

Posted by Ikenna on 07/23/2010

FORZA JUVENTUS FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Sam on 07/23/2010

SHould be a close season in the Serie A, Juve have new signings but I think they will need some of their players signed last year to shine if they will challenge. The new guys are good but I cant see any matchwinners there. Roma will be strong again and are a tight unit who have played together for a long time. They have a strong squad and will get a better start than they did last year. Inter will continue to be strong and the team to beat and even if they lose a player or two will have the funds to buy any required players in, their youth team also seems to be pumping out a lot of talent at the moment. Milan, well they are not looking too impressive and need something more. All in all it should be a good season, Napoli, Samp and Palermo are good sides and will provide memorable moments. Lets just all hope it is a championship free of controversy and scandel and the players and boards of the club maintain a fair spirit!

Posted by Anonymous on 07/23/2010

Did you state del piero as a reason to look to the future? come on man, Juve are years away from being a great team. the signings are positive, but with the serie A continuing its downward spiral, these are signings that will get us contending for second, but let's face it, it's a group stage knockout CL team. It won't get better until Del Piero retires, the stadium is built AND AC Milan start spending again. If the league begins to be contenders, then Juve will come back.

Posted by Aaron on 07/23/2010

Looking forward to this season. the bianconeri hav reinforced the squad but in my opinion they need to make a few more tranfers for potential match winners to be in runnning for the coppa italia. the coach of wolfburg has revealed he doesnt want to sell dzeko. this could work to juve s favour as they can now sign the new nedved - milos Krasic- in dat non eu spot. also if its possible i think the swap of iaquinta plus cash for forlan would be very fruitful. they need a new right back which has been a problem position for some time now. i do not understand why dey would not pay da extra 2 million 2 sign caceres frm barca.. he was perfect for da role. Lot of players are going to be offloaded and i wish them luck in their future endeavours. But hopefully dis is a new beginning Returnin Home to the Stadio Delle Alphi As Champions.. !! FORZA BIANCONERI !!!

Posted by Roberto on 07/23/2010

Like most others I want to be optimistic about the upcoming season, but I find it difficult at this point. We could not stop teams from scoring & did not score either. Where are the goals going to come from? Amauri is finished (only had one or two years of quality before Juve), Iaquinta is a serviceable support striker, Del Piero cannot go 90 min, and Trezeguet is not the same player. Why are we not investing more in the primavera. Giovinco is heading to Bari? Candreva does not appear to be in the mix. Where is the future of the club heading? Juve need to grow Italian players and not run out and overbuy for overrated foreigners (Diego, Melo, Poulsen, etc etc). I hope they improve over the form from last year but I don't believe they posses the quality to elevate Juve back to the top. Hopefully Del Neri brings new energy and a new philosophy to the club. The days of Juve winning simply b/c we are Juve are in our past. Juve must invest in the future and not just to win now

Posted by mohammed usman on 07/23/2010

As a Juve fan for 20 years I have to be optimistic every season. But we all know we have an average team,average coach and average management.

Posted by joetex13 on 07/23/2010

i just hope we can finish in the top four this season. champions league play is where Juve belongs. as far as summer 2010 signings go, i have much optimism in Del Neri's choices, especially in Simone Pepe, a workhorse at the WC. but what i don't get is how they can let go of Giovinco. he hasn't had the chance. he's the shining example of young talent that must be fostered in a quality club like the Bianconeri.

Posted by adeniran tobi on 07/23/2010

i am a juve fan and will always be a juve fan 4rever.next season will be great 4 the bianconerries and 4 we bianconeros,and they should pls not sell diego..forza juve..

Posted by dave on 07/23/2010

you sir must be a very very optimistic Juve fan to believe that Juventus would have a great season. Your defense is still awful, your strikers are no longer serie A "class" talkless of world class, you have bought a bunch of nobodies. Either way, i wish you guys the best of luck because you are really going to need it.

Posted by McT on 07/24/2010

Juve presents the biggest mystery of the top clubs in Serie A going into the season.
It's plausible the woes of last year will continue. That the rut the players were in will persist and that the new signings will, as the tifosi fear, reveal themselves to be journeymen who should be playing for Parma or Cagliari.
But then again, maybe Diego will find his Werder Bremen form. Maybe Amauri will regain his Palermo brilliance. Maybe Melo will turn into the clamp down, play-starting mid he was at Fio. Maybe Marco Motta will finally stop flirting with being good and take over the Azzurri fullback spot as all thought he would years ago. That, with a healthy invigorated Chiellini paired with the Nesta Bonnucci, could mean a great year for Juve.
Guess we'll see.

Posted by vish on 07/24/2010

good read. i jumped up my seat when you mentioned "Juve look to compete on three fronts", only to settle back when you clarified "many in Turin will also be expecting the club to launch a serious bid at lifting both the Europa League and Coppa Italia come next May"
Such has been the disappointment. old lady will sing again. soon.

Posted by rudy on 07/25/2010

433 formation
legrotallie chiellini marrota caceras
krasik candreva diego
delpiero amauri laquinta

wa should start winning with that formation

Posted by Bhukkolah on 07/26/2010

As a fan of over 25 years, i fear for the Old Lady of Turin because of the signings of last season and the present set of players brought in so far. However, as a die-hard fan, i have nothing but to continue to support my team even in the face of bad signings.

4ever a Juve fan.

Posted by rudy on 07/26/2010

i meant motta

Posted by HatesChesters on 07/26/2010

Maybe Juventus can bribe their way to the top of the table again!

Posted by Azuree on 07/27/2010

This year is gonna be a great year for Juve..Have faith and Fino Alla Fine Forza Juventus.

Posted by omar aliosman on 07/27/2010

i think that juventus will be great this season im a big juventus fan even though my msn says barcelona its because i used to live there. with new signings we need to keep focusing on the serie a tittle and europa league if we play cool and keep our temper low we can start winning again we are back to the delle alpi

Posted by JuveTifosi1897 on 07/27/2010

Rudy....do u even watch football? Caceres? he's back in Barca and not coming back to Juve, he's going elsewhere, Leggro starting over Bonucci? cmonnn, Candreva???? He was sent back to Udinese! PLEASE, before you post, post something factual or realistic, GDN doesn't play with 433, he is 442 with wingers pushing up and a "ghost" striker playing similar to a 4411 which is where Diego would fall into...Amauri is SH*T and Iaquinta cant stay healthy, Del Piero, the legend he is, will be good coming off the bench ONLY...Juve need to get a LB, CB and GREAT Winger, which Krasic CAN BE, and it looks as though the deal is back on for him now! Juve like this = has a chance at top-4 and can go to Semi in EUROPA, lets not jump on the band wagon and go for Scudetto, far from it!

Buffon
PDC-Bonucci-Chiellini-Motta
Krasic-Marchisio-Melo/Sissoko-Pepe
Diego right behind Trezeguet

THAT right there is a TIGHT team that can SCORE!

FORZA JUVE!!

Posted by ADI on 07/27/2010

Juve will always be the best team in Serie A, the Old lady is looking like a good outfit and this year hopefully melo and diego add a bit of magic. Also the good news is Inter will have to rebuild under Rafa who had a dismal season with Liverpool and AC Milan also will be working with a new manager. The team that will really challenge all is Roma AC, Ranieri has done good and they have been doing transfer business thru the summer. Adriano will be a sensation if he clicks. Thats the team we need to worry about

Posted by rudy on 07/28/2010

juve tifoso 1897 how abaut u shut up cuz amauri can score goals and trezeguets 2 old and sorry about candreva and caceras my internet never works

Posted by Juve Jr on 07/28/2010

Is anyone worried about the driftwoods still floating in the team? We need a clearance sale to sell players like Camo, Zebina, Grosso, Tiago and Poulsen.

Juventus may have a healthy balance in the bank but they are definitely not Man City. It is excruciating to think they may still remain at Juventus just because no other teams can afford their wages.

If those players have any heart for Juventus, they should help the club's rebuilding cause and leave. In my opinion, they are just selfish players who want a fat retirement pay check.

The club did them a favour by propelling them to stardom and of course, monetary term. Now, it is time for them return the favour by just leaving.

I hope they will certainly do so...

Posted by Anonymous on 07/28/2010

Juve still need to offload Zebina, Grosso, Tiago, and Poulsen. They need to bring in a fullback, another winger and a striker. Iaquinta, Trez, Amauri, and Delly can not be juventuss' hope for scoring goals. Iaquinta is always hurt, Amauri is always bitching when he dosent get the ball (and he has no touch what so ever). Trez and Delly are good for a combined 15-20 goals this season. the signing of krasic needs to happen. stop being so damn cheap Juve!! and they should have signed candreava!!!!!!! 4-4-2 formation.... buffon, motta, leo, chillieni, ___
pepe, melo, marchiso, ____
Diego, behind a striker yet to be bought!

Posted by shamcarz on 07/28/2010

I tend to believe a lot on wot luciano moggi says. u hate or love him, he is true almost all the time. from the signings i cant see a great juve. Krasic if he moves to the bianconeri will be crucial. this mite sound wierd but i really don't think del neri will last the entire season, there is so much hope and pressure on him. AS Roma wont fight it out for the scudetto, because last season was a wonder to them. well adriano mite win few matches but they cant fight for the title. AC Milan do i need to say more? its inter milan straight away for the scudetto!!

Posted by Anionymous on 07/28/2010

I am a milan fan, but my nonno supports juve, so i have always had respect for them. last year, i believed juve would win the scudetto, but somehow didn't even make top four. it is dissapointing since some consider juve the face of italian football. the combo of berlusconi and galliani, have ensured us rossoneri another great season; especially after newly-promoted varese defeated us 2-0. i am caught between wanting them to win the scudetto, and wanting them to be relegated. so when milan find themselves in 6th, and no chance to comeback, i'll support juve to win the scudetto. juve are the greatest adversary milan has faced in all of europe, and while some consider us bitter rivals, i feel a special kind of appreciation towards the club that has had such a great impact on the italian national team, and making italian league play the most admired, not too long ago. so, good luck to you bianconeri on getting the third star (i believe you guys have 29 scudetti) inter are don't deserve it.

Posted by Santa on 07/29/2010

Well just keep dreaming. Every time some journalist poops an article about "Juve can win scudetto" in the reality they will flop miserably.

Post your comment

Name:

Email Address:

Comments:

characters left