Journalist
December 17 – 11.05am – TORINO
Rome, 15 May 2024: Dusan Vlahovic scores against Atalanta in the Italian Cup final and wins the first Italian trophy of his young career. Leaving aside everything that happened after the match (the scene by Massimiliano Allegri which led to the dismissal of the Juventus coach for behavioral reasons) it was the first and only evening of celebration of the last three years, a breath of fresh air in the midst of many disappointments. It was also the first title of the new course by Cristiano Giuntoli and in fact the beginning of a new era. And it is the Italian Cup that Juventus is clinging to to find a smile again after the unexpected draw with Venezia and the vehement protest at the Allianz Stadium. Tonight against Cagliari – who have already held the Signora to a 1-1 draw in the championship – we will not be able to be satisfied: either we win or we leave and the Bianconeri cannot afford such an early elimination, especially in a year lacking in goals. Having abandoned their dreams of the Scudetto too soon, the Super Cup (scheduled in Riyadh from 2nd to 6th January, Juve will face Milan in the semi-final on the 3rd) and the Italian Cup remain the only possibilities for Thiago Motta’s band to avoid a year of zero titles . And Vlahovic, who has already hit the mark in Serie A this season for the Sardinians, is the right man to get the team out of trouble.
Juventus Cup
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You say the Italian Cup and you say Juventus, because the Bianconeri have won it 6 times from 2014-15 to today (of which 4 consecutively), 2 reached the final and 2 others exited in the semi-finals. It is no coincidence that Madama is the team with the most Italian Cups in their showcase (15) and to find the last time in which they did not get past the round of 16 you have to go back twenty years: 2004-05 season with Fabio Capello on the bench, defeat first leg away (0-2) and draw in the return leg at home (3-3) with Atalanta. This time Juventus will play everything in one match and will have 90 minutes (plus any penalties) to avoid making a fool of themselves.
News and certainties
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For this reason Motta will have to navigate between the need to do some turnover (absences continue to weigh: in addition to long-term patients Bremer, Cabal and Milik, Cambiaso, Rouhi and Douglas Luiz will also be missing) and the need not to overturn the team too much. There will be some changes, inevitable also to give some rest to those who have played more (Gatti for example), just as there could be some new roles (Locatelli central defence, as we saw him in the final against Venezia, and McKennie left back) but all the best will be up front.
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Tris
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There will be Vlahovic, who wants to put behind him what happened after the match last Saturday and only think about the pitch. The Serbian center forward often ends up in the sights of criticism but the numbers answer for him: with 11 goals scored so far, of which 7 in the league and 4 in the Champions League, he is the best scorer of the Lady and also the best “Italian” goalscorer of 2024 (23 centers). Last year DV9 entered the scene in the semi-final – starting from the bench against Salernitana and Frosinone – and was decisive first against Lazio (goal to make it 2-0 in the first leg) and then against Atalanta. This time they have to work overtime, because the squad reduced to the bare bones does not allow the only first striker available to Motta to rest. Weah and Nico Gonzalez have already played center forward with Motta, but the latter has just returned from an injury (probable that he will be used in the second half to increase his playing time) while the former is coming off a less than brilliant performance with Venezia. In any case, no one has Vlahovic’s numbers and Juventus needs a leader at the moment. Cagliari is the team against which Dusan has scored the most since he has been in Italy: 7 goals, like at Lazio, 4 with Fiorentina and 3 with the Signora. The best opponent to make it three in 7 days, after the goals against City and Venice. From the Champions League to the Italian Cup, the motivations must remain the same: Juventus is banking on their striker to continue cultivating the dream of winning a trophy.
