Juve, the return of Danilo with Sampdoria and the variables of Allegri with his joker

He was not expected, certainly not from the start, and seeing him where De Winter was expected was one of the surprises with Sampdoria. After two months Danilo is back: an hour on the pitch without too many worries as a central defense, and it will be a coincidence – but maybe not – that the goal he conceded came two minutes after his exit. Immediately launched into the fray also due to absences in defense, with him Allegri not only finds one more man for the back line, not only a precious lateral, but a precious joker both in the non-possession phase and in possession, which can return to open up a range of tactical possibilities to which he can hook up to the second phase of the relaunch to which Juve aspires to return to the Champions League area.

THE RECOVERY

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The last appearance for the Brazilian was on 20 November last, in Rome against Lazio, when after a quarter of an hour he had to surrender to a muscle injury, which the instrumental investigations then defined as a medium-degree injury to the adductor of the left thigh, with recovery times estimated in two months. And actually respected. Seeing him with Sampdoria does not mean that he is a candidate for a starting position in the big match on Sunday evening with Milan: then there will be a break and he will be able to complete the recovery to return to full speed also with a view to the resumption of the Champions League. In the meantime, however, he has found a Juve that in his absence has been able to give itself, even specifically in the defensive department, new certainties that have led to a series of eight useful results in the league, with six victories.

THE IMPORTANCE

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“Just look at his CV, he’s a great player – said Marco Landucci, Max Allegri’s deputy, on the sidelines of Danilo’s return with Sampdoria -. His absence weighed heavily, he was out a lot. Danilo has a high thickness, we are happy with his return. From central you manage yourself better and he did it with desire. He is a positive person, he always brings something good ”. And the importance for the Brazilian’s Lady is already in the numbers of last season, when Danilo was one of the best players of Pirlo’s Juve: on the field in 46 games out of 52, of which 41 as a starter, first overall for total minutes played this season ahead of Ronaldo and Szczesny. Allegri has just had to do without a pillar for two months.

THE VARIABLES

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It is thanks to a player of his flexibility and his skills, capable of playing both in the middle and in the wing, that Allegri can go back to building with the three men of the defensive line, while in this period the main way was to call Locatelli near the two central defense to set up. Which is the prodrome to return to thinking not only in the setting phase but on a permanent basis on the variant of a three-way defense, whose works went on stand-by after Danilo’s knockout. If the Brazilian offers this solution it is not only for the defensive virtues in terms of readings and position, but also because he is a reliable first brick of the attack that during the construction phase (and from a more lateral position) does not leave Bonucci alone to be able set from the defensive line, all functional skills also for emergency situations in which Danilo was even employed in the median. It is easy to draw on the clichés to define it as the big purchase of this January market, but that Allegri now finds himself with an extra big one is just a fact.