Juventus 2023/24 season review: Silverware not enough to save Allegri | OneFootball

Juventus may have booked their return to the Champions League and won the Coppa Italia but the 2023/24 campaign isn’t one that will live too long in the memory in a positive sense.

Let’s take a closer look at events in Turin.

Competition breakdown

Serie A – 3rd (pending Atalanta’s final fixture)

It was a season contested in two parts for Juventus.

From the start of the season until February, they lost just once (against Sassuolo) and without European commitments to worry about, they appeared to be genuine contenders once more for the Scudetto.

Going into their February 4 clash with Inter on matchday 22, they were just four points off Simone Inzaghi’s league leaders and a win would have seriously propelled them into the title picture.

They lost 1-0 and incredibly, between then and the end of the season, the Bianconeri won just three more Serie A games: a truly staggering collapse in form that included drawing six in succession.

It also cost coach Massimiliano Allegri his job before the end of the season with a frustrated board deciding to part ways with the Tuscan with two games remaining amid a continued decline in his relationship with the club, fans and media alike.

They finished in third place but could drop to fourth if Atalanta win their final game next Sunday against Fiorentina.

Coppa Italia – Winners

Ending the season by adding a trophy to the cabinet may be viewed as a success for many clubs but this is Juventus.

Much more is expected and a lone cup win in a campaign without continental distractions wasn’t enough.

Even that win, secured via a lone early Dušan Vlahović strike against Atalanta, was soured by Allegri’s bizarre press conference afterwards in which he became embroiled in an ugly war of words with the editor of local newspaper Tuttosport.

It wasn’t a success that was savoured too much.

Player of the Season: Bremer

The Brazilian had a difficult debut season in a struggling side but bounced back big time in 2023/24 to show his qualities.

So impressive was the centre-back in the opening half of the campaign that the club moved to tie him down to an improved new deal until 2028 in December, as rumours of Manchester United interest continued to swirl.

On this form, he will be the lynchpin of the Bianconeri defence for many years to come if the hierarchy decide not to cash in.

A special mention must also go to Andrea Cambiaso, who has had his doubters but is silencing them all.

Game of the Season: Monza 1-2 Juventus

It was not a vintage season in that regard, even the most fervent of Juve fans will admit as much.

But the first part of the season was littered with some impressive results against top sides, with the Old Lady defeating champions Napoli, Milan, Fiorentina and Torino in the derby.

The most dramatic win though came at Monza when they conceded a 91st minute equaliser, only for Federico Gatti to stun the home side with a 94th minute winner when it appeared he had fluffed his chance.

Top goalscorer: Dušan Vlahović

The Serbian ended the season with 18 goals in all competitions, 16 of them coming in Serie A.

That was enough to see him outscore Victor Osimhen, Paulo Dybala, Marcus Thuram and Romelu Lukaku in the capocannoniere race.

The manner of those strikes also showcased his qualities, just two coming from the penalty spot and four from outside the area: more than any other player in the division.

Rising star: Kenan Yildiz

The 19-year-old has been one of the big positives for the season since receiving the promotion to Juve’s senior side.

So good has he been that a bumper new contract is being prepared as well as the idea of handing him the No. 10 jersey – as worn by his hero and the man he keeps being compared to, Alessandro Del Piero.

It may be a little early for that but the talent is clearly there.

What comes next?

They will be back in the Champions League but the major talking point is who the man to lead them there will be.

All indications are that it will be Thiago Motta who led Bologna into that competition for the first time this season and who announced his departure after doing so.

Key man Adrien Rabiot is also out of contract and there is still no sign of a renewal on the horizon.

Cristiano Giuntoli is charged with building a team for the future which can challenge for major honours again, as he did with Napoli.

Reported targets this summer include Riccardo Calafiori, Khéphren Thuram, Lazar Samardžić, Mason Greenwood and Sávio.

Uncertainty and excitement lies ahead.