For those of you who follow Calcio, you will know that Juventus have been struggling on the pitch for quite some time – for Juventus’ standards anyway. However, they have also been struggling with financial issues off the pitch. Below, we take a look at Juventus’ problems both on and off the pitch and what they can do to turn their Serie A fortunes around.
Juventus’ Serie A Problems
Despite winning their last two matches in all competitions – a 3-1 win over Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League and a 3-0 home win against Bologna in Serie A last weekend – it has not been the best of starts to the 2022/23 campaign for Massimiliano Allegri and the Bianconeri as they sit in seventh place in Serie A after matchday eight. A 1-0 defeat away to newly-promoted Monza in September gave the hosts their first-ever top-flight victory and is the epitome of Juve’s recent failures.
Perhaps a little bit of ill-discipline and frustration has started to creep in too. Angel Di Maria was dismissed in the first half of the Monza defeat, whilst Arkadiusz Milik, Juan Cuadrado and even Max Allegri were sent off in the 2-2 draw at home to Salernitana a week prior.
One shining light is Dusan Vlahovic who continues to find the back of the net, scoring five goals in seven Serie A appearances so far this term. The former Fiorentina man has also scored in both of Juve’s last two games. However, Milik, who joined on loan from Marseille this summer, has also proven to be a shrewd signing. The Pole has scored four goals in seven appearances across all competitions thus far.
The Bianconeri face champions Milan at the San Siro on Saturday and despite a small upturn in form of late, Juve have failed to pick up a single victory away from home during this year’s campaign. The likeliness of recording a win for the first time in three matchups against Milan certainly seems unlikely, despite the Rossoneri dealing with a host of injury issues.
Financial Problems
Off the pitch problems have also come to light of late for Juventus after their financial report was published. The financial statements – that can be found on Juventus’ official website – have revealed that the club have seen losses of €254.3 million for the period of 2021/22. This saw an increase in losses of 21.2% compared to 2020/21 where they recorded a loss of €209.9 million. Another cause for concern is also the fact that revenue and incomes has also dropped from 2020/21 to 2021/22 – Juve saw revenues of €480.7 million for 2021 but this fell to €443.4 million for 2022.
The Bianconeri’s loss of €254.3 million is also the record highest ever seen by a Serie A club, surpassing their own record loss from the year prior of €209.9 million and Inter’s €246 million loss for the 2020/21 financial year. Of course, the huge losses can also be attributed to the impacts of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns. This saw downturns in revenues from ticket sales, matchday revenues and merchandise.
There are also concerns that Juve are also still feeling the impacts of the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018. Not only did the Bianconeri have to incur the heavy transfer fee of €112 million but the club had to cover the Portuguese international’s monumental wages. This was particularly difficult due to the reduced revenues caused by the pandemic.
Have Juventus Learned from Their Mistakes?
Juventus continue to invest in older stars on higher wages, similar to their strategy of signing Ronaldo in an attempt to find a Champions League trophy. Over the summer, Juve signed Angel Di Maria and Paul Pogba and although they did not incur any transfer fees, their high wages will be felt, especially in light of the recent news of their financial troubles.
Paul Pogba has come under severe scrutiny over the years for his poor performances and lacklustre demeanor but his return to Turin is an attempt to reignite his career. The Frenchman will aim to rediscover his form, like seen during his previous time with Juve. However, the 29-year-old continues to struggle with injury issues and he is yet to play a game since returning to the Bianconeri after undergoing surgery on his knee.
It seems like a strange approach by signing veterans on high wages, a strategy that has not worked out for the likes of Manchester United in the past.
Players with the most Shot-Creating Actions in the Premier League:
? Kevin De Bruyne: 42
? Gabriel Martinelli: 34
? Bukayo Saka: 32
? Gabriel Jesus: 31
? Granit Xhaka: 30#MCFC #AFC pic.twitter.com/GwjreOiCU4— StatATM (@StatATM) October 3, 2022
What Can Juventus Do to Turn It Around?
So, what can Juventus do to get back to the top? A strategy that seems to be successful at the moment is one that has been put in place at Arsenal. A focus on signing young, hungry players has seemed to have paid off, not only focusing on their footballing talents and abilities but their mental characteristics and how they conduct themselves off the pitch.
Shrewd signings such as Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba have helped propel the Gunners back towards the top and they have seen a huge improvement across the board. Arsenal have invested heavily on players below the age of 25, players who have fire in their belly and have something to prove. Not prima donna’s who are on astronomical wages.
The signing of Bremer from Torino this summer seems to be a step in the right direction but there has not been enough investment in the right profile of players. Moreover, there has not been enough development on players from their academy. Twenty-one-year-old Nicoló Fagioli has started to play a bit part role but the impacts of players coming through the youth ranks has not been enough.
Compared to Arsenal, the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have made a large impact on the first team and they are both products of the Hale End academy. These players have helped to create a culture of togetherness; they know what it means to play for the club and want to do their best for the fans, not just turn up week in week out for their pay packet.