With Pirlo, the Champions League is not a mirage for Juventus

A rumor yesterday morning bounced around Europe, from Liverpool to Manchester, from Madrid to Munich: Pirlo’s Juventus is serious business. Juve had not played a first-rate game since March 12, 2018, when Ronaldo took the defense of Atlético de Madrid, an Alcatraz, and treated it like a house of cards: 3-0. Barcelona, ​​two and a half years later, put Juve back on the map of the best teams in Europe, from which after the Ajax-Lyon combination they had been discreetly excluded. This does not mean that Juve are the favorites in the Champions League, not that they are stronger than Bayern, Liverpool and City, nor that those who have fought with Benevento and Turin suddenly become dominators in Europe. But the message is there: for the first time this season we saw a way to haunt him, the blessed Champions League. For the first time, Juve remembered a great European team.

“Royal family”

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Juve in Barcelona found a rival not worthy of its name but it was a group of compact players, close, united, almost like the eleven fans of Sissa Trecasali, province of Parma, who faced Conte (Giuseppe, and perhaps a little Antonio too ) gathered to watch the game. Prohibited. Bonucci at the Camp Nou summed up for everyone, even for them: “The first place was important to cultivate the awareness that playing like this we can do great things.” Here it is, the point: group trust. Juve have always built their European campaigns on the group and the theme is athletic and moral at the same time. It is no coincidence that Ronaldo returned to defend against Messi in the 81st minute and after the game in a tweet he spoke of a “true, strong and united family”. If you don’t share a wardrobe soul, you don’t spend an unsolicited shot.

Alex and Dorian Gray

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If the group is the alpha and omega of all ambitions, Cristiano is obviously the second reason why Juve can aspire to break through in Europe. The duel with Messi made it clear that the old portrait trick still works: CR7, a la Dorian Gray, ages little and reluctantly. And then, even at 35, he retains that almost unique ability to level up – more, almost transfigured – in important games, such as Atlético, Ajax and Lyon would calmly confirm. For the third reason, resort to tactic. Pirlo played with the usual principles of the game but the choice of Alex Sandro instead of Chiesa and the McKennie-Arthur-Ramsey trio in the middle brought balance, by the old principle that, at times, subtracting equals adding. These days you can’t talk about “basic training” –too many games, too much rotation– but it is clear that having found a guaranteed eleven for Pirlo is important.

with a condition

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The four games that separate Juve from Christmas – Genoa, Atalanta, Parma and Fiorentina – are probably more important than they seem. The spirit of the Camp Nou in two weeks can evaporate or rise. If Juve has the spirit of Benevento, it will cancel the best Tuesday of the year. If instead he falls to Marassi with the face of Barcelona, ​​good things will follow. New players, from McKennie to Arthur, will increasingly feel at the center of Juve, the defense will gain security and maybe even Dybala, currently a foreign body, will come to light. Here is the only path for European ambitions: strengthen the group with victories, move from progress to progress to mask the limits – the midfield, above all, is inferior to the best European centers – and build a new identity, with Morata. Sure of himself as always, Cuadrado at the level of the best outsiders on the continent and Bonucci-De Ligt great defensive souls.

pirlo and sharks

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Only in this way would Juve’s consideration grow in a Europe of liquid hierarchies: such an intense season has never been seen and no one can say how Liverpool, City, Psg and Bayern will arrive in February. In the meantime, it’s good that Pirlo avoided them all in Monday’s round of 16 draw, when the seeded balls will not be even. For once, staying in the same clear container with four sharks will make life safer.