Juventus’ defensive collapse explained by Italian media | OneFootball

Juventus were unanimously considered the most solid Serie A defence, having leaked just one goal from their opening eight league games. However, it all changed in the last 10 days, during which Inter and Parma exposed an unprecedented defensive fragility from the Bianconeri, scoring six nets combined in the space of a few days.

While Bremer’s absence is certainly taking its toll, Italian sports outlets made the case that Juventus’ vulnerability at the back stems from a different approach on the pitch, as their opponents are shooting on goals with more ease, as suggested by numbers.

Juventus’ defensive fragility analysed by Italian media

Thiago Motta’s side let in at least a goal in their three last games, starting with their 1-0 defeat against Stuggart in the Champions League, a game that marked a shift in the number of potential chances conceded to their opponents.

As reported by Sky Sport Italia, Juventus conceded 8.8 shots per game on average during their first 10 matches of the season across all competitions, and such a figure has dramatically increased to an average of 17.7 shots only considering fixtures against Stuggart, Inter and Parma. The number of shots on target has also gone from 2.3 to eight.

epa11693044 Parma’s Enrico Del Prato (2-R) scores the 0-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus FC and Parma Calcio, in Turin, Italy, 30 October 2024. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO

Following his dismal display against Inter, which saw him involved in three of the four goals scored by the Nerazzurri, Danilo was once again held accountable for his side’s defensive flaws against Parma, which ended with the Bianconeri’s 16th league draw of 2024 in 30 games.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, January’s transfer market window could be Juventus’ ‘biggest ally’ as they are eyeing potential reinforcement for their defence.

Meanwhile, the Old Lady must offset their fragility by making their attack more prolific if they don’t want to lose more ground from Serie A leaders Napoli, who sit seven points above them and now boast the league’s best defence, with five goals conceded from 10 matches.