Position: 7th
Points: 62 (-10)
Previous season: 4th, 70 points
Best Serie A scorer: Dusan Vlahovic, 10 goals in 27 games
Rating: 5.5/10
Season overview
Juventus’ campaign was a rollercoaster. The Bianconeri collected poor results in the first part of the season and when they seemed to have recovered, they lost 5-1 to Napoli at the Stadio Maradona in January and were hit by a 15-point penalty which initially stunned the team. Max Allegri’s men lost to Monza in the first match after the sentence which CONI temporarily overturned in April. The FIGC court revised the sanction, punishing Juventus with a 10-point deduction with three games remaining, pushing the Old Lady to the seventh spot. On paper, they’ll play in the Conference League next season, but it remains to be seen if UEFA will ban them from European competitions.
Turnaround moment
It wasn’t a single game, but an entire month, January, which was dreadful for the Old Lady. The 5-1 defeat in Naples was a massive blow for the Bianconeri who had won the previous seven Serie A matches without conceding. The streak included a 2-0 win over Inter and a 3-0 victory against Lazio at the Allianz Stadium. Many thought another win at the Stadio Maradona would have allowed Juventus to get back into the title race, but Luciano Spalletti’s men hammered the Turin giants leaving them no breath for 90 minutes and proving the huge gap between the two sides this term. It was followed by a 3-3 draw against Atalanta and the home defeat to Monza, days after FIGC confirmed a 15-point penalty.
The coach – Massimiliano Allegri
It’s been far from easy for Allegri, who was and is still dealing with criticism from most Juventus fans. The Bianconeri’s playing style was poor and the results were even worst given that they ended the second consecutive trophyless campaign. Allegri’s biggest merit, however, was to isolate the team when FIGC hit them with a 15-point penalty. The impact was shocking, but Juventus didn’t crumble in the following months and would have ended third without the final 10-point deduction. Allegri sees it as an improvement, Juventus fans not so much, but Max will remain in charge in 2023-24 also given his hefty €7m-a-year contract, which runs out in 2025.
Player of the Season – Adrien Rabiot
Scorer of eight goals in 32 Serie A appearances, Rabiot was undoubtedly the best Juventus player this season. The Frenchman seems to have finally fulfilled his potential, playing as a box-to-box midfielder and adding four assists on top of his eight goals. Allegri strongly relied on the ex-PSG star, who was sharp and fit and did what the club and the coach expected from Paul Pogba. Shame that Rabiot’s salary expires at the end of the month and with the Bianconeri out of the Champions League, it seems unlikely that he will remain at the club, especially with many Premier League clubs interested in his signature.
Disappointing Player of the Season – Paul Pogba
It’s difficult to pick just one, to be fair. For example, Dusan Vlahovic was beyond disappointing, with just 10 goals in 27 appearances and several games missed due to a groin injury. However, he was on the pitch, at least. Pogba, on the other hand, only made six Serie A appearances, starting once against Udinese. In that same game, played in April, he suffered a new muscle injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the season. He had missed the entire first part of the campaign after undergoing knee surgery which he had postponed for a month, hoping to recover in time for the World Cup. To say that everyone in Turin expected more from the highest earner at the club is an understatement.