And now it’s gone… the utterly miserable unbeaten streak that no Juventus fan will ever miss or fondly look back on.
In normal circumstances, an undefeated run is supposed to be a positive indicator of a healthy status as well as a source of pride for the club’s supporters. And yet, this was neither of these things. If anything, it gradually degenerated into a banter theme, with rivals and neutrals enjoying a laugh at the expense of an Old Lady who became too cautious to pursue victories, preferring to settle for the comfort of draws.
The Bianconeri have been putting on uninspiring showings since the start of the season which saw them falling short thus far of their minimum objective, which is a Top 4 finish, while their top summer signings are looking like distant relatives of the players who delighted Atalanta and Aston Villa fans (amongst others) in previous campaigns.
So if anyone at the club was still hoping to cling on to what was arguably the most unimpressive unbeaten run in football history in some miserable attempt to mask the club’s ever-growing issues, Saturday’s defeat has mercifully brought an end to this charade.
While we can talk all day long about Antonio Conte outwitting and outmanoeuvring Thiago Motta in every corner, the contest at the Maradona highlighted the striking difference between the two clubs in terms of mentality, showcasing why one of them is leading the Serie A charts while the other has been massively underachieving.
Let’s consider Giovanni Simeone our Exhibit A: The Argentine has been reduced to an almost forgotten figure in Naples. Nevertheless, even when he takes the field with only a few minutes left on the clock, you could almost see desire bursting out of his eyes. Il Cholito fought for every ball as if his life was on the line, even latching onto the ball with his head while laying on the ground.
Simeone’s display depicted your prototype Conte team, one that leaves no stone unturned in their vigorous quest for glory.
On the contrary, Juventus players – with the exception of a few like Federico Gatti and Manuel Locatelli (despite his mistake) – are increasingly looking like soulless nine-to-fivers who are merely happy to do the bare minimum while refusing to go the extra mile and showing little to no sense of urgency.
At the end of the day, we can talk about tactics, skills and techniques all day long, but with this average-Joe mentality, Juventus are unlikely to go anywhere, as famous club mottos like “fino all fine” and “winning is all that matters” no longer resonate with this mediocre edition of the club.
