Sunday, January 9, 2022 at 12:57• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 13:20

Massimiliano Allegri has his hands full with the current situation at Juventus. The Italian coach is unable to get his team going and suffered an expensive loss of points against Napoli (1-1) in the middle of the week. The varying performances of Juventus would have led, among other things, to tensions in the dressing room. This would also have been seen on the pitch in the game against Napoli, when Matthijs de Ligt got into a fight with Adrien Rabiot and Federico Chiesa and Juan Cuadrado also had an altercation.

According to the Daily Mail “Juventus’s powder keg threatens to explode at the most delicate moment of the season.” The current number five of the Serie A also failed to make a fist against Napoli. The cameras of DAZN, the broadcasting-authorized streaming service of the Italian league, showed several fights between Juventus players. Both Chiesa and De Ligt exchanged words with Rabiot, it became clear from the images. The midfielder is accused of frequently walking out of his position.

Allegri praised the competitive spirit of his players right after the game. “It is good that the players are trying to put each other on edge,” said the Italian coach in an attempt to contain tensions within the selection. It is not usual for tensions to rise at Juventus. In recent years, the club has managed to keep any miniscule conflict away from the media. At the moment, however, there is a sporting malaise within the team that runs the risk of jeopardizing relations, according to the judgment.

The Daily Mail speaks of a ‘split in the dressing room’, whereby a number of ‘uninterested’ do not seem aware of the seriousness of the situation. “That lack of determination manifests itself in the form of little aggression in Juventus’ midfield.” Rabiot’s current form crisis is said to underlie Juve’s sporting malaise. Cuadrado is also described as a ‘character problem’. The right-back got into a fight with Chiesa. During the press conference, however, it was mainly about De Ligt, who put Rabiot in his place with clear arm gestures.