Juve, how the hierarchies have changed between Federico Gatti and Daniele Rugani

One goes up, the other goes down. Federico Gatti and Daniele Rugani’s seasonal purse leaves no doubts about how the new Juventus defense hierarchies developed, also because they both started from the same position albeit with different levels of experience. The coup scored in Serie B by Juve is growing and over time is increasingly present in the rotations of the department, the historic wingman of the Allegrian era has instead disappeared from the radar and has not seen the field for several weeks (just 6 minutes with Sampdoria on 12 March, the last 90 on 19 February at Spezia). And a lot also depends on how the tactical balance has changed since the beginning of the season.

juve hierarchies

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At the start of the season, Bonucci and Bremer were the two starting centre-backs, Gatti and Rugani were the reserves and Danilo could have lent a hand if necessary. Alex Sandro himself appeared with one foot outside Juve because he was in his last year of contract and with one leg that was no longer brilliant to hold up the full-band left winger job. The change of form has upset everything: because Allegri has begun to rely on the two Brazilian full-backs to compose the three-man defense and Bremer has returned to that position which made him the strongest defender in Serie A for two years in Turin. central in the three is historically Bonucci, who however missed several games due to injury: when he is there, Bremer moves to the right. While Danilo, who is ambidextrous, plays where needed while maintaining the same level of performance. The problem has arisen above all for Gatti and Rugani, since the rotations have decreased.

Juventus developments

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For Allegri, Rugani is a pure centre-back. Things get complicated for him because the first alternative to Bremer is Bonucci: and in any case the former hardly misses a game. Never before has the Tuscan defender found himself playing so little: in the league and in the cups. Juve’s season got complicated with the -15 penalty: in addition to a burst of pride in the group, there was a clearer awareness on the part of the coach and management, who decided to make the most of the young people of the rose with some more courageous choices. This is why Gatti took to the field with greater continuity, but here too there is another objective technical explanation: for Max the boy – unlike Rugani – can also play the right arm of the three defenders, sometimes breaking away from the search for luck in the opposing half of the field.

cheery ratings

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Rugani still has one year on his contract: Juve have bet on him in recent years also by the will of Allegri himself, who has always considered him an ideal follow-on. In fact, the footballer was ready when he was called into question and played his reserve role in the best possible way, without ever arguing. However, spaces have now shrunk a lot and the outlook for next year doesn’t seem to improve: just think that Juve have decided to keep Alex Sandro for another year, precisely because of his new tactical position. The player has never lacked proposals: last summer there was half of Serie A for the loan and Galatasaray to buy him. Juve kept him in Turin, but next summer – when he’s only one year from the deadline – he could give in to some offers to monetize the sale.

new juve cycle

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Gatti, on the other hand, has become a potential starter, of all the defenders of the squad he is certainly the one with the greatest perspective. After the first flaws at the beginning of the year, Allegri made him responsible in a really delicate segment of the season and he responded on the pitch with top-level performances. Even in the last Coppa Italia match with Inter, the field was the best: in short, the courageous investment of January 2022 is starting to bear fruit, also thanks to the work done for several months within Continassa. The future is on his side: with Bremer and Danilo the understanding is good, with the future captain the bond is strong even off the pitch. Each element is putting itself in its place for an increasingly solid prospect in the team, where he will soon be able to become a permanent starter. Yes, he remembers the first Chiellini.