Pirlo (re)builds Juventus.
Ten answers for the 10th Scudetto and Kulusevski will be his wild card.
The theme.
What is the key word of 2021? Harmony.
The stories of the early days of Pirlo's Juve seem like a dictionary of synonyms: empathy, serenity, harmony. Harmony after the tension in the Sarri's last months. The change of mood and the reason for the change on the bench and of course, at the beginning it's all easy: zero pressure, zero discontent players. The desire to go in the same direction, will also be the key to his first Juve experience as a coach.
The phenomenon.
Will Cristiano remain at these levels? The number 9 will help him.
The other night, in Sweden, Cristiano proved that he is already readyl. Scoring his 100th goal for Portugal and he even scored two. And to think that a few days earlier he had had to resolve a terrible inflammation in his right toe. According to Pirlo, to get even more from out of him, it is necessary to support him with a center forward, like Benzema in the days of Real Madrid. In reality, Cristiano comes from an amazing season from the point of view of construction and the real bet will be to maintain these levels also this season, he who never spares himself and who would always like to play.
The dates.
When is the first delicate period? At the end of September
The championship calendar obliges Andrea Pirlo to speed up his work. After the start at home against Sampdoria they will face Roma and Napoli. That between the end of this month and the beginning of the next could be a crucial period given that the draw for the Champions League rounds is also scheduled on October 1, which will start on October 20/21.
The mercato.
Which number "nine" will arrive? Suarez in pole.
Pirlo is obsessively looking for a center forward. A story that goes on for three weeks and that first saw Dzeko in pole, then overtaken by Suarez, once Juve found out that the two operations would have more or less the same cost. In any case, for the Uruguayan the issue remains Barcelona's severance pay and especially the passport issue, with Suarez busy studying for the Italian exam which would allow him to present the paperwork for the Italian passport. Juve has an agreement with the player and are confident to close as soon as possible. Pirlo also needs a second striker and the return of Kean remains the most probable.
The field.
Tactically, what will we see? Variety and readings.
Ball possession, great attention to ball recovery, ability to set up with three men and to defend with a four-man line. The fog around Pirlo's football begins to clear, thanks above all to his statements. Juventus will probably change game systems and show concepts close to the position game, those seen throughout the last match against Di Zerbi's Sassuolo, not by chance one of the most natural references for Pirlo. A Juve that dribbles, seeks superiority along the field, finds the free man to get to Ronaldo and who knows, from Suarez. The men to do it are: technical midfielders, with the class and experience to interpret situations. Less simple to put together the synchronisms for the quick recovery of the ball on which Pirlo is aiming so much. Sarri, another enthusiast of the genre, also fell on this.