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Coppa Italia matchup against Lazio means everything for Juventus’ future

By Nick Belotto

TURIN, ITALY, NOVEMBER 13:Elseid Hysaj (L), of Lazio, and Filip Kostic (R), of Juventus, fight for the ball during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Lazio at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy, on November 13, 2022. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
TURIN, ITALY, NOVEMBER 13:Elseid Hysaj (L), of Lazio, and Filip Kostic (R), of Juventus, fight for the ball during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Lazio at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy, on November 13, 2022. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) /
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Juventus’ matchup against Lazio today may be one of the club’s most consequential matches in recent history.

Juve’s 15-point deduction penalty saw Juventus plummet from third place to 10th. This took them out of one of the automatic qualify the Coppa Italia is really the only opportunity for the club to make it into European football next season. The winner of the Coppa Italia gets an automatic bid into the Europa League. While this is not the same as a birth in the Champions League, Juventus would relish any opportunity to play in Europe so they can keep some of their young, talented players.

Most of the players on Juve’s roster joined the club with the promise of playing in some European competition. If Juventus is able to secure one of those spots, it is likely that their top talents would stay. If they aren’t, players like Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa may look to move over the summer.

The departure of world-class talent would be a disaster for the club. Juventus can’t afford to lose world-class players as the team struggles.

Juve is already struggling with its finances which will complicate the club’s ability to bring talent to Turin which could be disastrous for the team long term.

Juventus has generally been a lock for European football. If they can’t offer those tournaments, there may not be a compelling reason for players to join the Bianconeri. For some players, that may not be enough, especially given the Premier League’s willingness to spend money.

Juve’s matchup with Lazio, then, presents an important moment for this team to keep their spirits up and to keep their players happy. This is a must-win for the club.

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