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Juventus dilemma: Won two trophies and Ronaldo starred but there are concerns

  /  autty

The clinking of champagne flutes is still audible at Juventus' Allianz Stadium. It's the good stuff, provided by Cantine Ferrari, the club's official sparkling wine partner.

A fine beverage and a lucrative union, which epitomises how Juventus are on a par with Bayern Munich or Manchester United when it comes to money-spinning collaborations.

But as 2018-19 closes, the question is: are those glasses are half-full, or half-empty? Have the Italian champions lived up to their potential?

On the positive side, there is plenty to celebrate. Juventus were battling for four trophies at the start of the season: the league, Coppa Italia, Italian Super Cup and Champions League. They won two of those, or as coach Massimiliano Allegri pointed out at a recent press conference, '50 per cent. We lifted 50 per cent of the cups we wanted this season.'

As Allegri added, most teams would be pleased to achieve half of their objectives. The Super Cup was the first silverware of the campaign, when Cristiano Ronaldo cut down a plucky AC Milan in Jeddah in January. That was the northern Italian outfit's eighth victory in the competition, a new record.

Then, a few weeks ago, the inevitable occurred. The Vecchia Signora (Old Lady) were crowned champions of Italy for an unprecedented eighth consecutive season. No one in Europe's five major leagues has completed such a feat.

Juve sealed the title with five games to spare. Allegri's men started the campaign with eight wins in a row and never looked back. It was a fifth straight championship for the coach known as 'the Anchovy' for his slender frame.

And then there's the twinkle-toed No 7 with the gleaming smile. It's misleading to say Ronaldo put Juventus on the map, because they were already Italy's most decorated and supported team. But the addition of CR7 expanded their international reach.

The Turin club knew this would be the case. They signed the Portuguese for on and off the field reasons. On the turf he has scored 28 goals so far in all competitions. Off it he has beamed Juventus's name and badge into corners of the globe it hadn't reached for years. They've sold a few shirts and other nick-knacks too.

It isn't all sunshine and rainbows in this corner of Piemonte though. Juventus went out of the Champions League after a home defeat to Ajax in the quarter-final second leg. The Dutch side were not favourites, for all their panache, youthful vigour and courage. This Juve group are hardened veterans of Europe's top club tournament.

Under Allegri, they have reached two finals and suffered narrow, heroic exits at the away to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. But the Black and Whites were bystanders at the Allianz Stadium. Like the rest of us, they were forced to admire Ajax's speed, dynamism and verve.

This season the Italians didn't quite look themselves all season in Europe, losing to Young Boys, Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and fatally, Ajax. Signs of decline were evident before the dashing young men from Amsterdam dazzled at the arena once known as the Stadio Delle Alpi.

The pleasing style of Erick Ten Hag's boys also contributed to the discontent. Juventus's slogan is 'Winning isn't the most important thing, it's the only thing', but the feeling is that the modern generation of fans have been seduced by the spectacle of Guardiola, Klopp, Sarri and Ten Hag's teams. They want to be entertained.

In Serie A Atalanta have lit up the past two seasons with a slick brand of football. The side from Bergamo knocked Juve out of 'their' Coppa Italia in February, winning 3-0. That was Allegri's first elimination from the tournament since taking over in 2014. He'd won it four times in a row until that winter whipping from Gian Piero Gasperini's upstarts.

This season moans and groans about Juve's prosaic approach have been louder than ever, from social media to questions at Allegri's press conferences and post-match interviews. The subject irritates the coach, who has regularly insisted that replicating Ajax's total football is nigh on impossible.

Allegri has looked thoroughly fed up with the criticism. Understandably the Tuscan boss thinks he deserves a bit more respect after winning his sixth scudetto (five with Juventus, one in 2011 at AC Milan). Since the quarter-final KO his future at the club has been a non-stop talking point.

Do the hierarchy want to hire a coach with more modern ideas, or should they give Allegri funds to rebuild? The Anchovy may seek new waters.

PSG are supposedly the latest club interested in Allegri's talents. The ex-Milan boss and his superiors will be meeting this week.

Recently Allegri spoke about a potential overhaul, saying: 'I have had clear ideas about how to improve this Juve for six months.'

In an interview with Sky Sport, shortly before the defeat at Roma, club vice-president Pavel Nedved said: 'I don't think there will be lots of transfer activity this summer. We already have one of the best squads in Italy and Europe.

'It would be hard to improve it. Will Allegri be in charge next season? Stick around and you'll see'.

But there could be a few spare pegs in the dressing room. Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic might be on his way out. The tidy and occasionally spiky ex-Roma star hasn't shone this term.

Douglas Costa is a menace when fit, but injuries have denied him continuity. Allegri recently quipped, 'I have seen so little of Douglas lately that I couldn't even tell you if he is blond or dark-haired.'

Alex Sandro, the full-back who was once linked with Chelsea, struggled to recapture his form of recent years and may benefit from a change of scenery. Another attack-minded defender, Joao Cancelo, has also emerged as a potential candidate for a move.

The exciting Portuguese was a revelation for the first half of the season, giving Juve a thrilling attacking presence. His connection with compatriot Ronaldo was a joy to behold and he was beginning to display the defensive solidity that Juventus crave.

But after the turn of the year he returned to his less-attentive ways, suffering too many lapses.

And finally, there is the Dybala dilemma. The little Argentine, nicknamed the Jewel, has not sparkled in 2018-19. His skill is beyond doubt, but he hasn't looked comfortable in the 4-3-3 system Allegri has deployed to get the best out of Ronaldo.

It wasn't so long ago the No 10 single-handedly vanquished Barcelona in Champions League, scoring twice in a 3-0 quarter-final first leg win in 2017.

The Italian press hailed it as his arrival, the proof that he was Lionel Messi's heir. But this season has been frustrating and disjointed for the former Palermo magician.

There are plenty of players who could fetch hefty prices to facilitate a re-building process for Juventus. No one would be shocked if the beleaguered Allegri decided to walk away with his head held high and a bundle of winner's medals round his neck.

Most fans and journalists hold clear views on who should stay and who would be better off saying farewell.

But no one is quite so sure if those champagne glasses are half-full or half-empty.