\n<\/p>\n
There is simply no mistaking that Teun Koopmeiners\u2019 goal in the opening minutes against Lecce was more than just a contribution to the lead. Rather, it was a statement. Everything within this season has pointed to the Dutchman being the wrong man for the job \u2014 from consistently underperforming to big-game cardio sessions that have left the Juventus faithful scratching their heads and wondering if this is the same player who helped Atalanta hoist the Europa League trophy last season and tallied 15 goals across all competitions. <\/p>\n
But before the fans could even sit down from singing the Juventus anthem, Koop found the back of the net on a tightly angled shot with an assist from none other than Dusan Vlahovic, which at the time would be his first assist of the day, but not his only. <\/p>\n
It could be dumb luck against a club battling relegation like Lecce are, it could be a case of \u201cnew manager, new me,\u201d but what is irrefutable is that sometimes this game gives players exactly what they need in times of struggle, and Koopmeiners is no different. The fact remains that it\u2019s solely on him now to keep that momentum and prove over the next six matches that he still deserves to be in Turn. <\/p>\n
A pass to Khepren Thuram! He passes it back to Kenan Yildiz, who brings it back to Thuram! Vlahovic slows it to set up the shot and the rest is history. <\/p>\n
There seems to be very little that Yildiz can do wrong. In fact, it\u2019s the opposite, he can\u2019t stop doing everything right. From inheriting the sacred No. 10 jersey at the beginning of the season, to saving the club against Inter Milan at the San Siro in the fall, to being established as the new face of the club, and now solidifying the lead in two matches under Igor Tudor, the simple fact is that the sky\u2019s the limit for the young Turkish star. <\/p>\n
As much as matches are decided by goals, Yildiz\u2019s individual performance speaks volumes. The 19-year-old was able to add seven key passes to his list of accomplishments, as well as three accurate crosses. To nobody\u2019s surprise, he was awarded Player of the Match, and can now look forward to what his performance may be as the club heads to the Ennio Tardini in Parma next week.<\/p>\n
While it\u2019s been easy to see who the worst signings of the 2024-25 campaign has been, it\u2019s been a toss-up to who is best. Is it Thuram? Is it Pierre Kalulu? There is a strong argument for goalkeeper Michelle Di Gregorio as well. Over the course of the match, the 6-foot-2 product of the Inter youth system faced down 13 shots from the opposition, three of which were on target. The story of goalkeepers is one of modesty when doing a job well, and scrutiny in the face of mistakes. As for Di Gregorio, he has been consistently performing time and time again since the losses to Atalanta and Fiorentina. <\/p>\n
As for the goal that came late in the second half, there was not much that any keeper, even the likes of world-class legends, could do in that situation. With an obligation to buy this summer, Cristiano Giuntoli and Juventus will be hoping this is just the start for Di Gregorio. <\/p>\n
Collectively, the back line of Kalulu, Renato Veiga, and Lloyd Kelly kept the defense cohesive and locked down. Together they counted six tackles, with Viega in a decisive first place at five total. But it was the Englishman Kelly who surprised everyone with a whopping five clearances and a blocked shot. It\u2019s interesting to see the Newcastle-loanee\u2019s growth in the past three matches under Tudor, as he looks like he\u2019s a brand new player compared to the early days of his loan spell under previous management. Does he have shaky moments? Absolutely, but even the best have been nervous youths trying to perform at Italy\u2019s greatest club before. <\/p>\n
Rumors have swirled over these three defenders\u2019 future at the club. Kelly is on an obligation to buy, while AC Milan alum Kalulu is simply an option to buy. As for Veiga, rumors first stated that Juventus will not approach Chelsea for the Portuguese defender at the season\u2019s close, but now outlets are saying that the Bianconeri are moving to try and make him a permanent signing. If anyone has stepped up during the injury spell that the defense has faced, it\u2019s Veiga. <\/p>\n
While there are still issues that this Juventus squad has been facing over the past three matches \u2014 especially the ability to park the bus after a lead \u2014 one thing is for certain. The Igor Tudor method of management is working. Maybe it\u2019s the presence of a decorated Bianconieri veteran, maybe it\u2019s his belief in players that Thiago Motta counted out, or maybe it\u2019s as simple as the presence of a 6-foot-4 bearded Croatian manager inspiring the squad from the sidelines. <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s most likely a combination of the three. The race to Champions League qualification is on, and there seems to be no better person to guide and shape these young Juventus players than a former Juventus player who can claim the right to two domestic titles and an appearance in the 2003 Champions League final. <\/p>\n
Sometimes David lands his rock square to the temple of Goliath, and in the case of Federico Baschirotto, it came from a set piece to a header that sailed past the right glove of Di Gregorio and put Lecce on the scoreboard. Of course, the fear that stemmed from the goal was that Juventus would fall into an all too familiar pattern of conceding toward the end of the match, and walking away with a draw.<\/p>\n
Luckily those fears were not realized. Lecce\u2019s goal that made its way through a sea of Bianconeri bodies was nothing short of commendable, but it proves a point that nothing is certain, and no match, to use a term from basketball, is a layup. Inter conceded against Cagliari this past weekend, Manchester City had to allow two goals against Crystal Palace before kicking it into high gear. It happens to the top clubs as much as it happens to the mid- and lower-table sides.<\/p>\n
It was a shame that the second-half substitutions were not able to put the match to bed in the last 20 or so minutes, especially since Juventus were put on the defensive after Baschirotto\u2019s 87th minute goal. But the team isn\u2019t at that place yet. Despite the managerial changes and new faces that arrived this past January, this Juventus squad is still young and experimental, and have only found the back of the net more than twice in seven matches across all competitions this season. <\/p>\n
Would it be great to be able to put the match to rest early on and then give the defensive line a nice long challenge against a fusillade of shots? Sure, but this team isn\u2019t there just yet, as the fans and team alike have seen in numerous matches where a 1-0 lead turns into a draw. <\/p>\n
Not to mention the team\u2019s defensive superstars Gleison Bremer and Federico Gatti are still recovering from their respective injuries. <\/p>\n
This actually isn\u2019t bad or ugly, but rather a cute story of the traveling fanbase. Lecce fans who had traveled from southern Italy to Turin set up a small sandwich-making line for their friends. Admittedly, it makes sense. The trip from the boot-heel of Italy all the way to the Allianz takes roughly eleven hours by car, or ten hours by train with an exchange in Milan. Luckily for those traveling fans they had the option to take the ever-reliable Frecciarossa.<\/p>\n
The spread was complete with bread and Italian meats, all laid out on a picnic blanket.<\/p>\n
Never change, Lecce.<\/p>\n
There are still issues that plague this team, but in a stroke of luck, fixtures against powerhouses like Napoli and Inter are in the rearview mirror. The big challenges of the next few weeks will come in the form of Bologna and Lazio, who have been swirled into the mix of mid-table teams and relegation-battlers like Udinese and Venezia, respectively. <\/p>\n
As for this match against Lecce, it was simply buono<\/em>. Vlahovic was the ultimate team player with two assists, some players who needed a momentum boost got it, and in the end Juventus can walk away three points closer to the ever-important UEFA financial boost. For all the negative that has come this season, it\u2019s nice to see the close-out start to unite the club. Fans came in droves to watch the match, Tudor got the excellence that he demands, and the sentiment has turned a complete 180 from what it was only a month ago. <\/p>\n There is still a long and arduous battle ahead, and even if Juventus qualify for the Champions League they don\u2019t have a squad with enough quality to get wildly far, but there is change in the air. <\/p>\n And that\u2019s never a bad thing, unless you\u2019re winning. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n