World Cup winner and former Juventus midfielder Marco Tardelli has slammed the Bianconeri’s performances on the pitch this season and has questioned whether the current crop of players are truly ‘top-level professionals’.
The 68-year-old was recently interviewed by La Gazzetta dello Sport and told the paper that he does not believe Juve currently have a ‘particularly strong’ set of players at their disposal.
Speaking after Sunday evening’s 1-1 draw against Bologna, The Old Lady’s first point in four games after slipping to three consecutive defeats in the weeks prior, Tardelli thought Massimilano Allegri’s side had taken a ‘tiny’ step forwards in the grand scheme of things.
“It’s a step forward, but a tiny one after the poor result in the cup against Inter,” he told Gazzetta. “But if you’re Juve, you have to beat Bologna, without taking anything away from the Rossoblu, who are well trained and in good shape.
He continued: “To me, this Juve seems fragile in defence. And I don’t think it’s a question of form, rather a problem of mental soundness.
“Chiellini’s farewell weighed heavily on Juventus, not only for the defender he was, but also for his charismatic presence in the dressing room.”
Beyond the problems at the back, Tardelli believes that Juventus have had a lack of reliable options all over the pitch this season.
When asked about Juve’s lack of success in terms of trophies this campaign, Tardelli replied: “There are many reasons, starting with the injuries. Pogba has never really been there and the others, from Chiesa to Di Maria and Vlahovic, only for short spells.
“When things don’t go your way, the players are always to blame. I don’t see them as a particularly solid squad and as a result they make mistakes that you wouldn’t expect from top-level professionals. Beyond the coach, a Juve player must know what to do and not to do.”
Tardelli also feels that the situation surrounding Juventus in the courtrooms this season will not have helped the team on the pitch.
He explained: “Obviously the uncertainty of the off-pitch situations reigns over the Champions League race. In the Europa League, however, Juve have the strongest squad of the four remaining, but Sevilla are tough. And let’s not forget Mou’s Roma.”
If there is one thing Juve currently need, Tardelli believes that it is a new appointment to the senior management team in Turin.
“The need today, I repeat, is a competent and experienced sporting director,” he pleaded.