Juventus finally ended their winless run with a much-needed victory against Monza last night, and the Bianconeri are pleased to have secured the three points. It has been a while since they last won a Serie A match, and the players and fans are eager to maintain this momentum as the season progresses. Juventus boasts some of the finest talents in Italy, but their defence, which was once a cornerstone of their dominance, no longer strikes the same fear into opponents, according to pundit Luca Marchegiani.
At the start of the season, Juventus had a solid defensive partnership with Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal, but both have suffered long-term injuries that have sidelined them for an extended period. Neither player is expected to return until the end of the season, and since losing Bremer, Juventus’ defence has looked increasingly vulnerable. When the Brazilian defender was fit, Juventus’ backline was nearly impenetrable, with many clubs finding it difficult to even get a shot on goal. However, times have changed, and in recent matches, Juventus has been conceding goals more frequently, which has raised concerns.
Marchegiani remarked, as quoted by Tuttomercatoweb, “Juve defended quite well. What surprises me is that, unlike at the start of the season, they aren’t giving the impression of being impenetrable. At the start, they weren’t even shooting at him. Danilo? He’s a leader, he’s the captain, even this year when he’s playing less.” Despite these defensive struggles, Danilo has stepped up as a leader for the team, even when his appearances have been limited this season.
For Juventus to continue improving, they must address their defensive vulnerabilities and become more clinical in attack. While maintaining a solid defence is crucial, the team must score more goals and turn those draws into victories. As Marchegiani points out, keeping clean sheets without securing wins is not a sustainable strategy if they want to challenge for titles.