Juventus: 3 takeaways from the 2-2 draw vs. Torino

Juventus faced off against rivals Torino in the Derby della Mole this Saturday evening, and Juventini left the game feeling extremely upset with the team’s performance and direction. There is something off about this squad that goes beyond even coaching, though another result similar to this against Napoli at mid-week could spell the end of the Andrea Pirlo experiment.

Although the Bianconeri drew the Granata 2-2, they could have easily lost this match. Here are three takeaways from a disappointing evening of football for Juventus.

The Juventus midfield was non-existent

Because they broke COVID-19 protocols, Juventus’ best midfielders Arthur Melo and Weston McKennie were suspended by the team against Torino. And to be honest, they were missed on the pitch, even as they needed to be punished for their selfish actions off of it.

The Bianconeri started Rodrigo Bentancur and Danilo in their stead. Danilo started twice before in midfield and actually played well in those appearances, but he was dreadful against Torino. He barely touched the ball and might as well have not been on the pitch. I guess Pirlo wanted to avoid the Adrien Rabiot and Bentancur pivot, which has not worked out this season either. But Danilo and Bentancur ended up being a worse partnership.

Torino had their way with Juve’s midfield, bullying them and facing no threat from them creatively. Danilo and Bentancur are not attacking threats by any means. While Danilo is an intelligent player, he is not an athletic one. So when you combine him with the limited Bentancur on the ball, you get a midfield that could not ask any questions of Torino.