Former Juventus defender Mark Iuliano feels that it might be time for Massimiliano Allegri to leave the club, highlighting how ‘sometimes cycles end’.
Allegri’s Bianconeri have been in a run of dire form over the last two months, picking up a measly seven points in their last nine Serie A matches, a run that saw them drop from just behind league leaders Inter to just above fourth place Bologna.
The pressure has continued to mount on Allegri and a change in the summer is looking increasingly likely now, with fans dreaming of a number of possible replacements including Antonio Conte, Bologna’s Thiago Motta and unlikely option Zinedine Zidane.
Allegri under fire
Speaking in an interview with Tuttosport, Iuliano first discussed Juventus’ poor form over the last two months.
“Juventus seem like a team that have lost the certainties that led them to be fighting for the Scudetto a couple of months ago. They’re playing badly on a physical and mental level.
“Their journey has been very up and down. It started badly, then very badly, then good, very good and now we’ve returned to a fairly negative spell, especially on a physical and mental level.
“One negative moment is enough to compromise everything, you cannot live only on the ideas of Chiesa or Vlahovic.”
He was then asked about the position of Allegri and if it was time for a change.
“Sometimes cycles end, but even coaches who’ve won a lot sometimes leave because the environment needs to be renewed and go down other paths. You can certainly do a rejuvenation project, but you also have to understand which club you’re at.
“Juve are one of the most important teams in the world, you have to get younger, but you also have to give young players the opportunity to express themselves to the fullest and achieve results.”
The former defender spoke about the idea of seeing Thiago Motta in the dugout as a replacement to Allegri.
“He’s a very good coach, who is doing very well at Bologna and that too is another situation to evaluate. I hope that Motta can join Juventus in the future and the results speak for him, an excellent possibility is being created.
“But it is precisely the Juventus environment that should change, look for new motivation and replace those players who haven’t given what was expected.”
Finally, Iuliano discussed if there was a need for a real change at Juventus ahead of their return to the Champions League.
“To make a decent Champions League campaign, Giuntoli will have to change many things, he’ll have to change their mentality, the game, Juve will have to return to being the masters of football in Europe too.
“Last year when they had to play Paris Saint Germain, the coach chose to change the teams because it was an important match.
“That choice was like saying ‘I’m going to Paris and I’m not trying to win the game’. It was one of the worst signals that could be given to a team like Juventus.”