Juventus are eyeing the best available manager to replace Maurizio Sarri
Juventus could make a switch at manager, and Mauricio Pochettino is one of the few people who would be an upgrade.
Maurizio Sarri may help Juventus win their ninth straight Scudetto this season, but that’s hardly an accomplishment for a manager in Turin. The Serie A title is almost a given for Juve until other clubs in the league step it up, because nothing less than the Champions League title will satisfy a team that purchased Cristiano Ronaldo coming off a three-peat with Real Madrid.
Juve will still win the title in 2019-2020 despite their recent struggles, but they are stumbling to the finish line. The midfield looks inept, the defense is shambolic, and the decisions Sarri has made with lining up the front three, including recently benching Paulo Dybala, are head-scratching.
According to a report from the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, the Bianconeri have former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino on their shortlist of potential replacements for Sarri, should the former Napoli manager continue to struggle.
Pochettino is also said to be on Inter Milan’s wishlist. Antonio Conte had Inter Milan in position to challenge for the title, but they have collapsed even more despite some big signings. And Conte, as football fans saw at Chelsea, has a reputation for souring everyone around him within months of being manager.
Juve should not be imprudent with Sarri after only recently hiring him, and he’s not a bad coach. The problem is that he’s found little success since leaving Napoli, and both the tactical and individual performances of his players have suffered under his reign. The Bianconeri need upgrades before Sarri can be fully evaluated, but it’s also hard to see Sarri being better than Pochettino.
Next. Player Ratings from draw with Sassuolo. dark
Whether Pochettino is willing to pick a club in Serie A over a club in the Premier League as his next destination remains to be seen, but it’s encouraging that the Bianconeri are at least looking at a top managerial option. There is no time for second-rate replacements if Juve were to get rid of Sarri in 2020.