Ravezzani believes three Juventus players are having an ‘identity crisis’ | OneFootball

Despite beating Pafos on Wednesday evening, Italian journalist Fabio Ravezzani slammed Juventus for their ‘disastrous’ performance in the first half.

The Bianconeri hosted the Cypriot champions in a must-win Champions League contest. In the first half, Luciano Spalletti’s men held possession, but they were too slow and sloppy on the ball to cause problems for the opposition.

In fact, the visitors were the more dangerous side, coming close to scoring on several occasions through blistering counterattacks.

Juventus prevailed over Pafos after switching formations

Luciano Spalletti (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

After the break, Luciano Spalletti made a tactical switch from 3-4-2-1 to 4-2-3-1, helping the team become more effective in possession.

They eventually managed to break the deadlock through a vicious shot from Weston McKennie, while Jonathan David finished a slick play to consolidate the lead.

However, Ravezzani had seen too many red flags in the first hour of play to be washed away by the positive result.

“Juve were a disaster in the first half, but finally pulled through in the second,” posted the Telelombardia director on his X account.

“The Champions League standings have improved, but Spalletti must now make a real change.”

Ravezzani also argued that Andrea Cambiaso, Manuel Locatelli and Lois Openda are enduring an identity crisis.

“Some players are having an identity crisis: Cambiaso, Locatelli, Openda. Others are struggling to perform at their best.”

How Cambiaso, Locatelli & Openda fared against Pafos

Cambiaso was enduring a rough evening, but he ended up providing a sublime assist for McKennie’s opener.

For his part, Locatelli put on another shift in midfield, and never shied away from a sliding tackle, which allowed Juventus to win back possession on many occasions. However, the captain’s mediocre playmaking skills earned him jeers and whistles when Spalletti decided to hook him at the hour mark.

Finally, Openda offered little to nothing following his introduction, as his role in the team remains undefined.