Bianconeri fans are curious to see who will be the coach for the next season as the current season is marching toward its end.
Until last February, nobody could predict that Massimiliano Allegri’s position on Juventus’ bench would become shaky once more. With a younger squad compared to recent years, they were fighting for the Scudetto in a close competition with Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan before the head-to-head away clash. But Bianconeri’s 1-0 defeat at the San Siro led them to a run of poor results as they just won two out of their eight league matches following the intense Derby d’Italia. As a result, Italian journalists have started a feeding frenzy on the possibilities of Allegri’s dismissal at the end of this season.
The current climate calls for a look into some of next season’s possible candidates for the Juventus bench. As Allegri’s contract runs until 2025, it is also a good question to ask whether his remaining on the Bianconeri’s bench for the upcoming season is a sound option.
Juventus’ Bench Candidates for 2024-2025 Season
Thiago Motta
“He is a great coach and played a key role in our team’s growth.”
Lorenzo De Silvestri (Bologna Defender)
Pros: Ambition | Modern Tactical Approach | X Factor
Cons: Lack of Elite Club Coaching Experience
It is no surprise that Motta became one of the top candidates for Juventus’ bench, as what he is currently doing at Bologna is undoubtedly exceptional. Even the most eager Italian football fans may not remember the last time Rossoblù was among the contenders to achieve a UCL spot during a Serie A season. Moreover, the rumours of the Old Lady’s interest in Riccardo Calafiori, Bologna’s central defender, may further signal the talented coach’s next destination. Juventus has also begun negotiating a contract extension with Andrea Cambiaso, a former Thiago Motta pupil.
More than a simply rigid match to the 2-7-2 tactical formation that trendy journalists recently associate with Motta’s coaching style, he needs ambitious players with a high percentage of work rate, tactical awareness, and a sense of responsibility to play as a team. Motta’s unpredictable approach in attack which revolves around the unconventional movement of the players into spaces, suits some Juventus younger players who have the stamina and the openness to learn modern and different methods. Stars like Federico Chiesa and Dušan Vlahović could also bring some sparks of genius into the team, as Lewis Ferguson and Joshua Zirkzee are doing the same at Bologna.
Despite Motta’s mysterious X factor which makes any Juventus fan easily lean toward imagining his success at Juventus, it should be kept in mind that there is a big leap forward from Bologna to Juventus for a young coach. Juventus has always had a winning culture that needs deadly quick adaptability which suits its high-standard expectations.
Antonio Conte
“A Juventus return? You can always hope to get married again.”
Antonio Conte
Pros: Quick Success | Ability to Create a Solid Base for His Teams
Cons: Lackluster UEFA Champions League Record
Juventus fans may love or hate Conte, but they can not deny the curiosity behind thinking about his return. It is almost the same for Antonio Conte himself, as he had awkward body language but a happy smile while entering the pitch during last year’s Juventus Legends friendly match to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Agnelli family takeover. Since his shocking resignation in 2014, there have been rumours of a reunion with the Old Lady occasionally.
What makes Antonio Conte an ideal coach for Juventus is his proven ability to build successful teams quickly. During his first season as a coach at Juventus, he led Bianconeri to winning a memorable scudetto in 2012 which surpassed the expectations at the time. He is also more than capable of building a solid base for his teams, which leaves a legacy for the following coaches. Last year, Giorgio Chiellini said during an interview with Sky Sport Italia that the “first person who changed his vision and made him play proper football was Antonio Conte”. Juventus’ squad currently includes many young and talented players, such as Federico Gatti, Nicolò Fagioli, and Kenan Yıldız, who could reach their full potential under Conte’s disciplined training methods and winning mentality.
Yet despite having a fairly successful record in every domestic competition, Conte struggled to show any signs of real success in the UEFA Champions League competition during his career. His rigid 3-5-2 format proved to be a little bit predictable in the highly competitive tournament. This could be discouraging as Juventus are almost ready to clinch a UCL spot for next season.
Zinedine Zidane
“Zidane loves Juventus and will coach them one day.”
Darko Kovačević
Pros: Fan Favorite | Project Level-up
Cons: Juventus’ Poor Economic Situation
Zidane has never hidden his desire to return to Juventus. He hoped for a reunion during a video message in 2018 after saying, Forza Juve! But it is also the Juventus fans’ dream to finally see the Frenchman on their bench as they were more than happy to see him return to Turin to play in a friendly match last year. Unhappily, the love story seems to be a cursed one in recent years since the Old Lady is experiencing a difficult economic situation.
Aside from his unique ambition for coaching Juventus, Zidane’s presence on the Banconeri bench means the Italian giants would be ready to take a step forward. He has three UEFA Champions League trophies under his belt as a head coach and set high expectations in his next journey. Moreover, Zizou knows how to bring the best out of his stars. Just imagine Cristiano Ronaldo’s stellar performances during the Frenchman’s tenure at Real Madrid which brought him the Ballon d’Or. Indeed the current Juventus squad is not comparable to Real Madrid in terms of quality, but Zidane’s coaching style would be undoubtedly enjoyable for Federico Chiesa, Dušan Vlahović, and the talented Kenan Yıldız.
It is true that bringing Zidane as a coach means a project level-up for Juventus, but whether the Turin club is capable of this breakthrough based on its economic situation is a rather different story. Think about the way Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić’s long-range passing ability eased the way for Marcelo and Dani Carvajal to go high up the pitch in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final match against Liverpool. Juventus needs to think about their market strategies before thinking about Zinedine Zidane.
Vincenzo Italiano
“Vincenzo Italiano would be the perfect choice for Juventus.”
Riccardo Trevisani (Italian Journalist)
Pros: Coaching Style Suitable for Chiesa and Vlahović
Cons: Idealistic Football Approach in Contrast to Juventus’ Pragmatic Culture
Based on old and recent memories, Vincenzo Italiano is not the type of coach that Juventus usually goes for. Still, he has occasionally been linked with the Old Lady in recent seasons. There is no doubt in his abilities as he presents an attacking-minded football at Fiorentina, which is pretty enjoyable to watch, but whether his coaching style fits Juventus’ football culture is a rather profound question.
Italiano can bring an explosive and exciting football approach that more than suits Juventus’ stars such as Federico Chiesa and Dušan Vlahović. The Serbian striker scored 24 goals in a single season under Italiano’s guidance at Fiorentina. His possession-based 4-3-3 formation could also be suitable for creative players like Manuel Locatelli and Kenan Yıldız alongside the more versatile elements within the squad, such as Andrea Cambiaso.
The ups and downs of the Sarrismo period at Juventus reveal an essential cultural spirit rooted within the Turin-based club. Despite winning the scudetto with the Bianconeri in 2020, Maurizio Sarri was sacked at the end of the season. Luigi Maifredi’s Calcio Champagne, with all of its trendy charms, was also unpleasant to Juventus fans’ taste in the early 90’s. They prefer to identify their success with managers such as Marcello Lippi, Fabio Capello, and Massimiliano Allegri who have the perfect pragmatic approaches to the game. Vincenzo Italiano has also had a relatively good record of results. Still, like Roberto De Zerbi, he is from the school of coaches who put their idealistic attacking approach above everything else. It may be in stark contrast to Juventus’ pragmatic football culture.
Didier Deschamps
“I regret leaving Juventus.”
Didier Deschamps
Pros: Good Reputation of Working with Youngsters
Cons: Long Absence from Coaching at the Club Level
Juventus fans hold good memories of Didier Deschamps. The Frenchman’s playing time for the club coincides with the last UEFA Champions League trophy won by the Italian giants. His short stint as their coach in Serie B also reminds them that hard times will always reveal true friends. He has a contract with Les Bleus, which runs until the 2026 World Cup, but he may be teased to rejoin them, especially after he openly expressed his regret over the way he left the Old Lady in 2007.
Deschamps played many youngsters during the 2006-2007 season as Juventus coach. Fans remember that he used Claudio Marchisio and Matteo Paro on different occasions. Sebastian Giovinco also played his debut for the Bianconeri under the Frenchman’s guidance and later earned the nickname Atomic Ant because of his exceptional talent at an early age. Although the current Juventus squad doesn’t include many blazing stars compared to prior seasons, it revolves around notable young talents who seem to have a bright future ahead. Keep in mind that players such as Dean Huijsen and Matías Soulé also return to Turin after their successful loan spells.
On the other hand, Didier Deschamps has not coached a football club for a long time. He has been at the helm of the French National Team since 2012 and he has been successful indeed. Anyway, this might be an obstacle in his way as a potential Juventus bench candidate since the major breakthroughs in training methods and tactical approaches usually happen at the club level. Being in the working atmosphere of a professional football club with a day-to-day routine is essentially different from coaching at the national level.
Massimiliano Allegri
“Allegri deserves a lot of respect, but his cycle is over.”
Alessio Tacchinardi
Pros: Adaptability | Pragmatism
Cons: Predominantly Reactive Football Approach
It is probable that Massimiliano Allegri will remain on Juventus’ bench for next season, as he has a lucrative contract with the Bianconeri that runs until 2025. Keep in mind that despite the resurgence of rumours of his departure, Allegri ranks as the third coach in Juventus’ history with the most trophies. He also coached Juventus in 413 official matches, only second to Giovanni Trapattoni. Anyway, whether he is the right man to lead them for next season or not remains a question.
Allegri proved to be an excellent coach in terms of adaptability. Based on the squad Juventus offered him during different periods of his coaching at the club, he tried to apply his strict pragmatic philosophy to earn good results. Juventus has had a difficult economic situation in the ongoing season, which was the result of their being excluded from European competitions. Still, Allegri managed to earn perfect results in a good portion of Serie A matches by using young players such as Andrea Cambiaso, Fabio Miretti, and Federico Gatti. He kept his team on the run for scudetto against the odds before losing to Inter in Derby d’Italia.
More than the recent run of bad results, what occasionally causes Juventus fans to feel doubtful about Allegri is that they prefer a 2016-2017 football version of him which was a balanced mixture of pragmatism and perfectly timed excitement. Although those Juventus squads are not comparable to the current one in terms of quality, he showed earlier this season in matches against Udinese and Lazio that he can present the same. The problem is the way he relatively shifted toward his usual reactive, colourless football approach in a good number of the following matches.
