Massimo Pavan says Juventus lacked leadership against Sassuolo | OneFootball

Massimo Pavan has revisited Juventus’ 3-2 defeat to Sassuolo at the weekend and expressed his disappointment with the lack of leadership shown by the Bianconeri during the closing stages.

Juventus appeared to have a clear game plan as they looked to secure a victory, but the match did not open up significantly until late in the second half. After Juventus secured a late equaliser, Pavan believes they should have managed the situation better and settled for the point.

Luciano Spalletti has admitted that he urged his players to push for the win during the fixture. The manager believes that instruction contributed to the team losing its shape, allowing Sassuolo to score the decisive goal late in the match.

Juventus lacked composure late on

Pavan, however, believes the outcome could have been different if Juventus had more leaders on the pitch. In his view, experienced figures should have recognised the situation, slowed the game down and helped their teammates understand that the equaliser was valuable.

The Bianconeri had already recovered from going behind twice, making the late leveller an important moment in the match. Pavan feels Juventus needed someone to take responsibility and ensure the team did not become overly aggressive in search of another goal.

Instead, Sassuolo were able to take advantage of the situation and find the winner, leaving Juventus empty-handed after their late recovery had appeared to earn them a point.

(Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)

Pavan questions Juventus leadership

Pavan believes a genuine opportunity to score again should have been taken if it presented itself, but the team should first have protected the result. He said via Tuttojuve:

“Zhegrova had just completed a comeback that seemed impossible, in such a situation a great team must have someone capable of understanding what is happening.

“One who takes the ball, slows down the pace and lets his teammates breathe, one who reminds everyone that, after being down twice, that equaliser can be precious, no one did that at Juventus. Who is the leader of this Juve?”

The defeat has therefore raised questions about Juventus’ ability to manage matches in crucial moments. For Pavan, the late collapse was not simply about tactics, but also about the absence of a player capable of providing leadership when it mattered most.