Almost nothing is working for Juventus right now, and that is a serious problem. The Bianconeri have not won a game since September 13th against Inter.
Since then, they have drawn with Dortmund, Verona, Atalanta, Villarreal and Milan, and suffered defeats against Como in Serie A and Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The past few weeks have been disastrous, and the worst part is that Tudor seems unable to find a solution.
The injury to Bremer is undoubtedly a major blow to Juventus’ defence, as he is their most important player at the back, but even so, one absence cannot explain weeks of mediocrity filled with draws and defeats.
Tudor’s football is simply not visible. Many of the new signings are underperforming, and the coach continues to shuffle his lineup in search of a spark, yet at the final whistle, Juventus end up with just one or no points, and for a club of this stature, that is unacceptable.
Como defeat sparks war of words
Their latest major setback came last Sunday against Como, where Cesc Fabregas’ side fully deserved all three points and left Juventus with nothing. To make matters worse, the two coaches exchanged words from a distance.
Tudor pointed to the money spent by Como, to which Fabregas replied: “Como is a small club that has invested a lot, and the coach chose all the players, which is a good thing. Juventus must always win, and when that doesn’t happen, people think they are always in the wrong. But that’s not always the case. I analyse and explain. Anyone who is intellectually honest understands that."
Fabregas’s response continued: "Tudor said I got the players I wanted, but perhaps things were not explained to him properly. He called me ‘the Como coach’, but I respectfully call him Mr Tudor. He has to win all the time with Juventus; we don’t. We do a different job."
In the end, the first round, if we can call it that, went clearly to Fabregas and Como. The statistics told the story: only three shots on target for Juventus compared to six for Como. The hosts deserved their victory, with Marc Oliver Kempf scoring from a set-piece scheme and Nico Paz sealing the result late on.
The Argentine once again proved to be a phenomenon, a player of rare quality. At just 21, Paz has been making waves since last season and is sure to be at the centre of transfer rumours at the end of the year. He plays with intelligence, composure and selflessness, always dangerous, always useful. Fabregas was right to put his full trust in him.
Fabregas outshining Tudor
At the moment, the league table shows Juventus and Como level on points, 12 each after seven matches. For Juventus, that is a disappointing return, while for Como it is a remarkable achievement. Yes, the club’s owners have invested heavily, and expectations are high, but their current position near the top of the table is far from guaranteed.
Fabregas is doing an excellent job. The same cannot be said for Tudor. He is underperforming in every respect, and when results are poor, every explanation starts to sound like an excuse, which damages his credibility.
Without results or convincing performances, all that remains are words, and in football, words are never enough, especially not in Turin, where fans expect nothing less than excellence, just as the club’s history demands.
If Tudor fails to turn things around quickly, the situation could become critical. The question remains: will he find the key to solving Juventus’ problems before it is too late?
