Pressure continues to mount on Massimiliano Allegri after Juventus’ disastrous 2-0 loss to Maccabi Haifa and the squad in Turin are divided over the Italian coach.
La Repubblica details how a number of players in the team are dissatisfied with Allegri’s work on the touchline but a few still remain loyal to the Italian coach, who brought them five Scudetti and four Coppa Italia titles during his first spell in Turin. The Bianconeri are now entering a training retreat to try and iron out the issues, but it will not be an easy fix.
There are no truly ‘anti-Max’ players left at Juventus, with examples of this being Cristiano Ronaldo and Matthijs de Ligt, but in the club’s management a few still remain, like vice-president Pavel Nedved. Crucially, president Andrea Agnelli still believes that Allegri can turn things around and is backing the coach.
A number of players are still loyal to Allegri and are continuing to work quietly, like Wojciech Szczesny, Juan Cuadrado, Danilo, Mattia Perin and Mattia De Sciglio. The five all have positive relationships with the coach and it’s no coincidence that the latter two have already signed new contracts with the club.
A few players are quietly unhappy and aren’t fully focused on the pitch, like midfielders Manuel Locatelli and Weston McKennie, both of whom have failed to show their best under Allegri. It’s no surprise that both have been linked with moves away in the coming transfer windows.
Angel Di Maria has a complicated relationship with Allegri and there are some suggestions that the Argentinian winger is only trying to stay fit for Argentina’s World Cup campaign in Qatar, similar to Paris Saint-Germain loanee Leandro Paredes.
This World Cup distraction has also seemingly struck Paul Pogba, whose recovery is focused on being fit for France instead of pushing to return for the Bianconeri.
The other new arrivals haven’t settled particularly well in Turin either, with both Gleison Bremer and Filip Kostic left confused by Allegri’s tactics. The pair are still working hard to get things back on track but don’t fully understand the project in the Piedmont capital.
Then there’s former Fiorentina duo Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic, key attacking figures for Juventus. The former has a relatively cold relationship with Allegri and still needs to return to full fitness before he’s able to contribute, and the latter is often left frustrated on the pitch with the lack of service provided by his teammates, limiting his opportunities.
Doubts, confusion and loyalty would be a good name for their next Amazon series
What is there that makes confusion.
No determination, gameplay,makes everyone look like amateurs and there is no improvement. What is there to be divided about?
PhD Maccabi Max Saint Haifa is a legend. There cannot be a divide. The scholar and master tactician of prime mountain goat calcio fiesta commands the respect of all and he will steer the ship into CALMAAA!!! waters for 2 seconds before hitting another ice berg.
Whatever the division is there is 100% absolute chaos on the field and the sidelines. Losing interest in these bums.