Bernardeschi to Juventus: what does it mean?
Monday, July 24, 2017
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UEFA.com's Juventus reporter Paolo Menicucci picks over Massimo Allegri's summer signings and concludes that it will be 4-2-3-1 all the way for the Bianconeri this season.
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With the arrival of Federico Bernardeschi from Fiorentina, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has made it clear that his first-choice playing system for the new UEFA Champions League season will be 4-2-3-1.
The Bianconeri's every move this summer seems to have been made to reinforce the system Allegri adopted midway through last season. Then he had to ask players to adapt to fit in — in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid, he played striker Mario Mandžukić as a left winger, centre-back Andrea Barzagli as a right-back and right-back Dani Alves as a winger. This season, it seems, there will be no such demands.
Having won their sixth consecutive Scudetto – and a third successive domestic double – and reached their second UEFA Champions League final in three years, Juventus this summer parted company with Alves and Leonardo Bonucci. If you bear in mind that preferred formation, those moves make sense.
The Brazilian was arguably too attack-minded to play at right-back, considering that Juve already have Alex Sandro on the left – another full-back who loves to push forward. Allegri had deployed the former Barcelona man as a winger with Andrea Barzagli, 36, filling in behind him. This season, that role will be filled by new arrival Mattia De Sciglio, who proved his tactical acumen to Allegri when he coached him at AC Milan.
The decision to allow Bonucci – part of of Juventus's famous 'BBC' defence, alongside Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini – to join Milan also has that 4-2-3-1 in mind. No-one directs a three-man defence better than the 30-year-old, but he is less of a dominant force in a back four.
With reliable centre-backs like Chiellini, Barzagli, Medhi Benatia and Daniele Rugani already in the squad – and Mattia Caldara maturing on loan at Atalanta – Allegri clearly felt a €40m fee for Bonucci was good business, freeing up the funds to sign the 23-year-old Bernardeschi.
Like Douglas Costa, who has arrived on loan from Bayern, Bernardeschi has skill, strength in one-on-one situations, explosive pace and a great shot. That should reduce Juve's reliance on Paulo Dybala when it comes to supplying openings for Gonzalo Higuaín.
"Higuaín is a phenomenal striker and we can score a lot of goals together," Douglas Costa said. "I still don't know what my position here will be, but there will be no problems. This team is made to win. I've never won the UEFA Champions League, but I think I can help Juve get on top."
With the talent in their ranks, Juventus may never have a better chance of doing so.