Not all 2-0 defeats are created equally. Looking back to a win of that scoreline for Juventus against Chievo at the end of January, the opposition made almost no attempt to attack, hoping for a 0-0 draw at best. They achieved a possession rate of just 23%, making just one shot on goal and spending just 13% of the match in the attacking third of the pitch.
If we compare that for another 2-0 win for the reigning champions – this time against rivals Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi last Friday night – we can see the same scoreline but an entirely different match altogether. The young Viola side bravely pressed their more experienced opponents all the way,and were extremely unlucky to be denied a penalty and to hit the inside of the post in the first half.
They eventually succumbed to a free-kick scored by their former winger Federico Bernardeschi and an extremely well-taken goal from clinical finisher Gonzalo Higuain but – while defeat to their most hated rivals is always hard to take – a look at the statistics shows just how well this newly-formed side are developing under the tutelage of Coach Stefano Pioli.
The Viola kept the ball 61% of the time,and fired in 12 shots as opposed to just four for their Torinese adversaries. They also spent 36% of the match in the attacking third, almost three times as much as Chievo had managed in their aforementioned encounter with the Bianconeri. It was unfortunate that the only difference between the two sides was a bit of luck and some clinical finishing, but this tenacity when not playing at their best is what has seen Juventus win 35 Scudetti in comparison to just two for Fiorentina.
Of those who lined up for the Viola on Friday, only Milan Badelj and captain Davide Astori were born before 1991, in comparison to eight from 11 Juventus starters that were aged 30 or over. Such a lack of experience was telling in the end, but the performance from a side that contain so many young – and five Italian – players gave hope to those supporters who could see past the disappointment of defeat.
After all, this set of players had so quickly bounced back after a humiliating 4-1 loss to relegation-threatened Hellas Verona two weeks ago, a result that sparked a walkout and fan protests against the club’s owners after the final whistle. Since then, they managed a 2-1 win away at Bologna, and a superb performance against a side that reached the Champions League final last summer.
“We risked conceding a couple of times and had to end the first half without any damage. The second half was different,” admitted Juve boss Max Allegri after the final whistle. “Matches aren’t all the same. There can be moments of fogginess. The team did well, Dias hitting the post came from a breakaway, where we had made a mistake. In the second half, we didn’t suffer too much. We knew the difficulties we’d face, they’re a young team with good qualities.”
Those same supporters who showed their anger to Andrea and Diego Della Valle outside the stadium turned out in force to show their love for the shirt and to get behind the players, creating a stunning display with scarves and flares in the Curva Fiesole. With such passionate fans behind them, it is to be hoped that a disappointing season overall is laying the foundations for an exciting future for this young and fearless team.
