Decade of Domination : Juventus
Taking a look at that nine-year spell of invincibility — 2011/12
From seventh to first in just weeks, then nine years of success that had all the other Serie A clubs as infuriated as Germano Mosconi after the third take.
How did Juventus orchestrate their historic winning streak?
We leap in chronologically from Antonio Conte to Max Allegri and beyond, investigating key signings and coaching changes, best and biggest wins, key contributors and delicious facts (factolicious).
Warning : This content may harm Milan, Inter, Roma and especially Napoli fans (Napoli finished in 2nd place on four occasions to Juve).
Part 1 : Transition 2011/12
Juventus Wins the First of Nine Consecutive Titles
Milan began as defending champion and, while the Rossoneri won one more game than Juventus by season’s end, Antonio Conte’s men went undefeated throughout the campaign to win the Old Lady’s first official Scudetto since 2002/03.
Yes. Juventus undefeated in Serie A. This 2011/12 Juventus team is the only ever side to end the season undefeated in the 38 game-per-season format.
Close Call : Napoli 3 Juventus 3 on Match Day 11. The Partenopei were 3–1 up with eighteen minutes to go. And who else but Marcelo Estigarribia and Simone Pepe grabbing the two important goals that would keep the Bianconeri’s momentum going?
Milan also came close to beating Juve, leading 1–0 thanks to Antonio Nocerino’s 14th minute opener, only for Alessandro Matri to silence the San Siro faithful in the 83rd — the Bianconeri hanging on for the draw after Arturo Vidal was sent off very late.
The Big Changes : Luigi Del Neri had left Sampdoria to take the reigns from Alberto Zaccheroni in 2010/11. Both coaches suffered with the fallout from Calciopoli in 2006, which led to instability and indecisiveness for the next few years.
Juventus had earned a reputation of signing expensive players that would be no more than stop-gap solutions in order to pursue untenable title challenges while lacking any real philosophy or vision.
Antonio Conte had just guided Siena up from Serie B and Beppe Marotta brought in the ex-Juventino midfielder with high hopes that a former Bianconeri great could transcend mediocrity into magnificence.
Conte signed Andrea Pirlo for free from Milan, Mirko Vucinic from Roma and Arturo Vidal from Bayer Leverkusen and was able to get rid of Tiago, Felipe Melo and Alberto Aquilani from an unexceptional midfield that was constructed through consternation rather than inspiration.
Another new signing, Stefan Lichsteiner, scored the first goal of Juve’s nine-year spell while also contributing invaluably to that robust defensive quartet that included Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli.
Suddenly Conte had depth in every area of the park, as well as the formidable Gigi Buffon’s return to goal, replacing Marco Storari, the latter playing the majority of games for Delneri after Buffon suffered a sciatic nerve injury at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and missed most of 2010/11.
Juve now boasted Fabio Quagliarella, Paolo De Ceglie, Emmanuel Giaccherini, Martin Caceres, Marcelo Estigarribia, Milos Krasic and club legend Alex Del Piero on the bench.
Transfers Out Summer 2011 : Rinaudo, Almiron, Motta, Sorensen, Sissoko, Legrottaglie, Tiago, Felipe Melo, Traore and Salihamidžić, Toni, Grygera, Iaquinta and Amauri — the latter five all in their thirties.(Pazienza loaned out January 2012).
Transfers In Summer 2011 : Vucinic, Vidal, Pirlo, Lichsteiner, Giaccherini, Pazienza, Estigarribia, Elia, (January window — Borriello, Caceres, Padoin)
Best win : Juventus 4 (Vidal 4', 8', Pirlo 29', Marchisio 53') vs Roma 0 MD34.
Factolicious : Let’s not forget that Gianluigi Buffon was 34 years old when Juventus won the 2011/12 Scudetto — the first of Nine in a row.
Pub Quiz Addition : Alex Del Piero’s last goal for the club was against Atalanta in the 2011/12 season.
Key Contributors — Claudio Marchisio from midfield with 9 goals and 4 assists. Andrea Pirlo led the assists with 13, Vucinic with 11.
Leading Serie A Goal Scorers 2011/12 were 10 Matri, 9 Vucinic and Marchisio, 7 Vidal, 6 Pepe.
Best Winning Streak — 8 matches
Biggest Win — Fiorentina 0 vs Juventus 5 (Vucinic, Vidal, Marchisio, Pirlo, Padoin). (The Viola were down to 10 men after 21 minutes).
- There was one loss, I lied. Juventus lost to Napoli in the final of the Coppa Italia 2–0, which was Alex Del Piero’s last game before heading to Australia to play for A-League club Sydney FC.
Other Results
The Conclusion
The data tells no lies. Luigi Delneri’s Juve played 50 games in 2010/11 and won 20 of them for a win percentage of 40% and a loss percentage of 22% (11 games).
In 2011/12, without European commitments, Juve played 43 games and won 26 for a win percentage of 60.47% as the Bianconeri were undefeated in the League and lost just the one game, the Coppa Italia Final, for a loss percentage of just 2.32% — almost 20% lower than the year before.
On a side note, Alessandro Del Piero would score 5 goals this season, effectively ending his Italian footballing career with 346 goals across all competitions, including international fixtures, 18 behind first-placed Silvio Piola (364).
Antonio Conte’s appointment was essential for Juventus and consequently led to two consecutive titles.
Click to read Part 2 — Arrivederci Alessandro
David on Twitter https://twitter.com/davidferrini_
David on the web : www.davidferrini.com
