Juventus overtook PSG, Manchester United and Inter Milan as European giants who were eliminated in the last 16 of this season's Champions League. They were certainly kicked out after losing to Villarreal in the second leg match by 3-0 (4-1) on aggregate.
The match which was held on Thursday (17/3/2022) was quite fierce in the first round. Juventus looked a little better, but Villarreal was able to keep the net free from conceding.
Everything changed when the game entered the 78th minute. Starting from Gerard Moreno and followed by Pau Torres and Arnaut Danjuma, Juventus also had to accept a 0-3 defeat which changed the aggregate score to 1-4.
There are five important lessons that Truescoop should know about this match. Check out the complete information below.
Dusan Vlahovic has not scored in four games. Is the Serbian striker's light temporary, or is it that the current Juventus squad is not qualified to provide him with 'nutritious' food?
Vlahovic has never experienced a goal crisis like this during his time at Fiorentina in the first half of the 2021/22 season. His longest drought was just two games before the streak of goals restarted.
Reflecting on Mina Rzouki's observations, it seems that the problem does not lie with Vlahovic. Juventus players are not used to being upfront. Several times Vlahovic asked for the ball but was ignored by his teammates.
Players come and go, but Juventus will always be there. That is why regeneration is needed within the squad because player careers are very limited.
Juventus must regenerate at the heart of the defence, and the law is absolute. The match against Villarreal has shown that Daniele Rugani does not deserve to be a substitute for Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
Indeed, Juventus has been trying to regenerate for a long time. However, Merih Demiral, Cristian Romero, and several other defenders were deemed not to have reached the high standards set by the two veteran defenders.
Matthijs de Ligt fulfils those requirements, but Juventus cannot depend on him forever.
Rugani is far from up to par and this will be a big PR for the Bianconeri in the next summer transfer window.
Juventus appeared dominant throughout the match. But one mistake made their mental collapse instantly. This moment seems to show that the phrase 'effort will not betray the results' is just a hoax.
Conceded a penalty goal in the 78th minute, who doesn't collapse at a moment like that? Especially if you look at the opponent who was unable to record a shot on target before the first goal was created.
When winning, Villarreal automatically defended desperately so as not to be overtaken.
This makes Juventus' burden even heavier, especially since the club made by Unai Emery has a pretty good record in the defence sector.
This Juventus defeat will raise questions: Is it true that Massimiliano Allegri's strategy is outdated? There are no more innovations such as 'chameleon tactics' which are often the reason Juventus can achieve important victories.
Maybe yes. Allegri's strategy has not changed significantly since leaving Juventus in 2019. Rigid strategy, minimal creativity, and equipped with a mental 'attack enough'.
However, it seems, it will take time to answer this question with confidence. Unlike a few years ago, Allegri did not have the material needed for players. The options are currently very limited.
Adrien Rabiot has a minimal contribution, but who can replace him at this time with the injuries of Denis Zakaria and Weston McKennie? Asking for untested young players at a time when demands are high could jeopardize Juventus' safety and Allegri's credibility, as well as the player's future.
Villarreal did not play as well as Juventus in this match and that has to be admitted. However, Emery deserves appreciation for being able to prepare the team very well to face a club as big as Juventus.
The defence has become Villarreal's main strength this season. 26 goals conceded in 28 games - third at least among the top 10 teams in La Liga - is the main factor why Villarreal can sit in seventh place.
Emery makes the most of this advantage. When he saw his defence leave a lot of gaps in the first half, he added strength and played a total defence. Who would have thought, this defensive strategy that made them win?