Decade of Domination 5 : Juventus
Taking a Look at that Nine-Year Spell of Invincibility — 2015/16
Nine years of success that had all other Serie A clubs as livid as Germano Mosconi after the third take.
How did Juventus orchestrate their historic winning streak?
This is Part 5on 2015/16. Click here to read from the beginning (2011/12)
Warning : This content may harm Inter, Milan, Roma and Napoli fans.
2015/16 : Superstar Exodus
A new-look Juventus shirt just in time for the Juventus face-lift. Max Allegri would be compelled into transforming his midfield dynamic and Adidas became the club’s official jersey manufacturer which now featured two badges — the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia.
The Juve coach soldiered on without three of his protagonists from the previous season as Carlos Tevez moved to Boca Juniors, Arturo Vidal was sold to Bayern Munich and Andrea Pirlo called an end to his Serie A career, the latter lasting only one season after the arrival of Allegri, just as he did at former club Milan in 2010/11.
It would also be the first time in a decade that the Old Lady would open up her purse on a large scale — €120 million well spent according to fans — as she sought to go one step further and win the UEFA Champions League.
The Transfers Out : Andrea Pirlo (New York), Carlos Tevez (Boca Juniors), Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham), Simone Pepe (Chievo Verona), Fernando Llorente (Sevilla), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Mauricio Isla (QPR), Paolo De Ceglie (Marseille), Romulo (Hellas Verona), Marco Storari (Cagliari), Alessandro Matri (Milan)
The Transfers In : Paolo Dybala (Palermo), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Mario Mandžukić (Atletico Madrid), Simone Zaza (Sassuolo), Alex Sandro (Porto), Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea), Mario Lemina (Marseille), Hernanes (Inter), Neto (Fiorentina), Daniele Rugani (Empoli)
The mattress full of Juve cash was raided with some of the world’s best players joining the likes of Buffon, Chiellini and Bonucci for a second serious attempt at European glory.
Over ten players were turned over by Allegri — a statement of intent — as the Mister was forced to reinvent his attack.
The start to the Serie A season was a polar opposite of the previous few as Allegri won only once in the opening six Serie A rounds. Convincingly beaten by Udinese and Roma, Juventus was lucky to steal a draw from Chievo on Match Day 3 as new signing, Paolo Dybala, equalised from the spot.
Allegri flirted between 4–4–2, his favourite 4–3–1–2 and Conte’s winning 3–5–2 formations. After poor results against Napoli and Frosinone, Juventus was in dire straits by Match Day 10, languishing eleven points off the pace in 12th position after a 1–0 loss at Sassuolo.
It appeared that it would be Roma’s or Napoli’s year, the southern adversaries giggling with excitement and optimism as La Vecchia Signora’s efforts were concentrated on European fixtures while Giorgio Chiellini was constantly picking up injuries.
Behold the fifteen game winning streak
A win over Torino in the Derby della Mole — revenge for the previous season’s loss — was just what Juventus needed, winning back the city’s honour with a 2–1 victory.
Then it all kicked off with a season high 15-game winning streak which formed part of a 26-game undefeated streak. Allegri’s men had employed quick passing and counter movements which allowed forwards and midfielders to rotate efficiently and get in behind the defensive lines.
Like Nonno slicing through the Christmas porchetta, Paul Pogba (12 assists) and Paolo Dybala (9) carved up the opposition mercilessly.
Biggest win : Juventus 5 (Dybala 2, Evra, Chiellini, Bonucci) vs Sampdoria 0
Best win : Torino 1 (Belotti) vs Juventus 4 (Morata 2, Pogba, Khedira)
Factolicious : Former Juve coach, Antonio Conte, called up Buffon, Barzagli, Chiellini, Bonucci, Sturaro and Zaza — six Juventini in total — for Euro 2016.
Allegri increased the season’s points tally to 91, an improvement of 4 points in comparison with 2014/15. Inter and Milan concluded their respective campaigns 24 and 34 points off the pace.
Juventus had their 32nd title wrapped up on Match Day 35 as Roma defeated Napoli 1–0, the Partenopei claiming second place thanks to Gonzalo Higuain’s 36 Serie A goals haul.
The Argentine won the league’s leading goal scorer title while his compatriot, Paolo Dybala, finished in second position (19 goals).
Best Serie A Winning Streak : 15 games
Key Contributors — Paolo Dybala (19 goals) and Mario Mandžukić (10) filled the void left by the departures of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente.
Leading Serie A Goal Scorers 2015/16 : 19 Dybala, 10 Mandžukić, 8 Pogba, 7 Morata, 5 Zaza and Khedira, 4 Cuadrado, 3 Bonucci
Coppa Italia 2015/16
Juventus defended their domestic cup title — overcoming both Milanese clubs in the latter stages — to claim their eleventh Coppa Italia.
Led by a Simone Zaza brace, Juventus thoroughly dismantled their cross town rival, Torino. Stephan Lichtsteiner then scored the winner in the quarter-final which eliminated his former club, Lazio.
The semi-final was full to the brim with drama. Alvaro Morata converted a spot-kick after Juan Cuadrado went down easily. Then the Spaniard thrashed in an angled drive from six yards for 2–0, nabbing a brace in the process.
Jeison Murillo was red carded to cap off a disastrous night for Inter, the Colombian at fault for the first two goals conceded and then fouled his countryman, Juan Cuadrado, again in the 70th.
Paolo Dybala capped off an embarrassing evening for Inter, his strike nutmegging Samir Handanović, propelling the Bianconeri to a first-leg 3–0 lead.
The second leg ended 3–0 at the Giuseppe Meazza for Inter and 3–3 on aggregate. The tie would be decided from the penalty spot. Rodrigo Palacio shattered blue and black hearts with his missed attempt, Juve progressing through thanks to converting all five of their penalties.
The final in Rome was a tight affair against Milan in front of 67,000 tifosi. Juan Cuadrado was once again influential in the outcome of the match, providing the cross for Alvaro Morata’s extra-time winner, an unerring strike to beat a 17-year old Gigi Donnarumma in the 110th minute.
Juventus would win the double once again.
UEFA Champions League 2015/16
For the first time in years Juventus powered through their Champions League group, losing just once, to qualify easily for the Round of 16.
Mario Mandžukić steered his new club to two victories over Manchester City, the Croatian forward netting in both matches against the Citizens.
Fernando Llorente had left for Sevilla in the summer window and scored the winner against Juve on Match Day 6, condemning them to second position and shaping a precarious appointment with two recently sold former Bianconeri.
Arturo Vidal’s Bayern Munich would be Juve’s next task and the Germans were on the front foot in the first leg of the Round of 16 clash in Turin, leading 0–2 early in the second half courtesy of Thomas Müller and Arjen Robben.
The rollercoaster ride had departed.
A gallant fightback earned Juventus a 2–2 draw at home (goals to Paolo Dybala and Stefano Sturaro) and the Bianconeri then led 0–2 early in the second leg (Paul Pogba and Juan Cuadrado), however late strikes by Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller levelled the tie at 4–4 and sent it into extra time.
With Paolo Dybala and Giorgio Chiellini missing in action, Juventus faded and the 2012/13 champions triumphed 6–4 on aggregate. Thiago Alcântara and former Juventino, Kingsley Coman, scored two minutes apart to thwart Max Allegri’s second attempt at European glory.
Conclusion
Juventus equalled their club record of 5 consecutive Serie A titles, acquired between the 1930/31 and 1934/35 seasons, when Felice Placido Borel finished as Capocannoniere twice. Borel would go on to coach Juve in the 1940s.
Gigi Buffon broke the league record for most minutes played consecutively without conceding a goal, lasting 974 minutes or 10.82 games. AC Milan’s Sebastiano Rossi previously held the record (929 minutes) set back in 1993//94.
Buffon also set the record for most consecutive clean sheets (10) between mid-January and mid-March. The ex-Parma goalkeeper had equalled his previously set record from 2011/12 for most clean sheets in a single season.
Leading Goal Scorers 2015/16 : 23 Dybala, 13 Mandžukić, 12 Morata, 10 Pogba, 8 Zaza, 5 Khedira, 5 Cuadrado
Max Allegri lost only 7 matches across all competitions, drawing 8 and winning 34. Overall Beppe Marotta dealt well with the Pirlo/ Tevez/Llorente mini-exodus by procuring Cuadrado, Mandžukić and Dybala to overcome the doubters.
It took Allegri the best part of September and October to tweak his formula. The outstanding 26-match undefeated streak demonstrated that La Vecchia Signora was second to none, yet again.
But the elusive quest for European prestige continued.
Find out who would be lured to Turin in 2016/17 on July 6th, 2021.
David Ferrini on Twitter https://twitter.com/davidferrini_
David Ferrini on the web : www.davidferrini.com
