On Thursday, the Juventus squad boarded a plane headed for the United States. Awaiting them are three high-profile summer friendlies, the travel and exposure as familiar to this group as a Scudetto celebration in May. Of course there was no Leonardo Bonucci, the defender’s decision to join AC Milan still as inexplicable as it is surprising, but there were also three new faces among the group departing from Turin’s Caselle airport.
Just 24 hours earlier, Wojciech Szczęsny had finalised his move from Arsenal, the goalkeeper turning his back on AS Roma – where he had been on loan for two seasons – in order to become Gigi Buffon’s understudy. During his first press conference, the Polish international revealed he had only had a brief conversation with his new boss before agreeing terms with the Bianconeri, his comments similar to those made by Douglas Costa during his own unveiling.
"I've spoken to Mister Allegri, who's given me a very warm welcome, as have my new team-mates here,” the Brazilian told reporters. “We haven’t had time to talk about tactics yet given the speed of the transfer. Either way, I am looking to deliver my best performances whenever and wherever I play.”
Yet if Szczęsny and Douglas Costa were unsure of what to expect from the man in charge, they would do well to ask the last of the new signings, because Mattia De Sciglio and Allegri needed no introduction to one another. It was the Tuscan coach who brought the full-back into the first-team squad at Milan back in 2011, handing him his debut during a Champions League fixture in September of that year. gradually increasing his playing time and teaching him the nuances of his role.
De Sciglio – who routinely featured on both flanks – gradually became more and more important, eventually handed the no.2 shirt previously worn by great defenders like Cafu and Mauro Tassotti. “I hope I live up to their standards,” he told the club’s official website ahead of the 2012/13 campaign, and he would not disappoint as his performances drew comparisons with another homegrown Milan star, Paolo Maldini.
“I think De Sciglio can follow a similar path to me,” the iconic Italian told reporters just three years ago, but those lofty expectations and Milan’s general malaise saw the youngster’s career begin to falter. Allegri was fired, with the Rossoneri bench needing a revolving door fitted to it as Clarence Seedorf, Pippo Inzaghi, Siniša Mihajlović and Cristian Brocchi came and went before Vincenzo Montella arrived last summer.
Each had their own ideas and demands, the number of different systems and team-mates forced upon De Sciglio quickly escalating out of control. He never enjoyed a season as productive as his one full campaign under Allegri’s guidance as injuries and the club’s problems took their toll, and he has now left Milan just as they appear to be becoming a stable force once again.
However, Juventus have spent €12 million to sign him and it is impossible to ignore the fact that he arrives to fill a void left by the acrimonious exit of Dani Alves. If comparisons to Maldini were difficult, then expecting De Sciglio to replicate the decisive impact of the former Barcelona man will surely only lead to disappointment?
When it comes to the big Champions League nights, that is almost certainly true, but the Bianconeri will not expect him to. In those games, Alves played as a winger in the attacking trident of Allegri’s 4-2-3-1 formation, a role that Costa – and perhaps Federico Bernardeschi – are much better suited to, while the right-back slot was occupied by Andrea Barzagli. With Bonucci no longer around, the latter will slide back into central defence, meaning all Juve need De Sciglio to do is be a reliable full-back.
He will not be hindered by a rotating cast of ill-fitting pieces, the nightmare of playing alongside Philippe Mexès, Gabriel Paletta or Cristian Zapata will no longer haunt him. Instead it will be Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini helping “Desci” protect Gigi Buffon’s goal, a backline he has already proven effective in as Italy shone at Euro 2016. There, perhaps for the first time since Allegri left San Siro, we saw the intelligent, calm and confident player he has always looked capable of being, full of energy while confident in both his attacking forays and defensive contributions.
A thoroughly modern full-back, the 24-year-old clearly has a firm grasp of his position, able to read the game well and showing astute tactical awareness that is helps him to remain composed in possession and diligent when not. His crossing suffers when he plays on the left – which should be rare at Juve given the presence of Alex Sandro – but looks much better on the opposite flank, while his dribbling is neat and effective.
He will not single-handedly despatch a Champions League semi-final opponent like Dani Alves did with AS Monaco, but Mattia De Sciglio is undoubtedly a shrewd acquisition who can finally look to fulfil his vast potential. Just ask Max Allegri.
