Juventus is trending in the right direction in February

Juventus are now undefeated in their last seven matches since a 2-0 loss to Inter Milan in the Derby d’Italia in Serie A. The Bianconeri avenged that defeat to Antonio Conte’s side by defeating Inter 2-1 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals, and then they sealed the deal on Tuesday night with a 0-0 draw in the second leg, eliminating their rivals.

We knew Juve would have to take some lumps in their first few months under Andrea Pirlo. The reasons go beyond simply having a manager with zero experience, though. Juventus had a new-look squad with several young players coming in, namely Dejan Kulusevski, Federico Chiesa, and Weston McKennie. Alvaro Morata was another new addition to the squad.

Juve won the title last season, but they limped across the finish line under Maurizio Sarri, who was out of ideas and woefully out of his depth in the Champions League. The Bianconeri basically relied on Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala to carry the team as the superstar pillars. One of those two pillars has been injured or ineffective for much of the 2020-2021 campaign, necessitating other players to step up.

And they have, to be honest. McKennie, Morata, and Chiesa have been rousing successes and consistent table-setters for the likes of Ronaldo. Kulusevski is yet the finished product and isn’t as dynamic as he was last season for Parma, but the glimpses have been there.

Juventus are showing a high level of execution tactically

As a whole, there is a lot to like about the Bianconeri. Defensively, they are the only team in Serie A with fewer than 20 goals allowed. Ronaldo is better than ever in Turin and ready to secure the Capocannoniere after losing out to Lazio’s Ciro Immobile last season. Really, the only glaring holes are on the left side of the pitch and the midfield, but Pirlo has found subtle ways to navigate those weaknesses.

Juventus have defeated Inter and Milan, who are the only clubs ahead of them in the Serie A table. Their slow start to the season appears to be a thing of the past, as Juve are clicking tactically and mentally. They are making fewer errors and executing their gameplan effectively. When there is room, they are also capable of playing exciting football, as we saw in recent wins over the likes of Sampdoria, SPAL, and Roma.

Yes, there is still work to do. But looking at the last seven results, which have all been clear positives for the Bianconeri, we can say that Pirlo and Co. are trending in the right direction. Juventini have every reason to be excited about this team’s prospects in the Champions League, Coppa Italia, and even Serie A. They remain down, but they have most certainly shown that they are not out.