Luci ed ombre: inizio stagione della Juve intonato al bianconero

The new Juventus season is beginning like a pyrotechnic display of light and shadow, mirroring the club's colors. The team is walking a thin and unstable tightrope, balancing difficult-to-move surplus players with complicated transfer dealings. There are players struggling to find their form, persistent old injuries that won't heal, and new, significant physical setbacks, all while the transfer market countdown continues relentlessly. The first match of the season against Frosinone was like a recap of previous episodes of a TV series, featuring flashes of a pleasing Juventus interspersed with periods of stagnation and worrying falters towards the end. Light and shadow, like a black and white pyrotechnic show, or if you prefer, chiaroscuro.

Let's first examine the lights. The club has done important work, especially under emergency conditions, which Spalletti praised in a press conference, highlighting improved quality compared to last season. There are continuous compliments for Nico Gonzalez, who seems to have impressed even more than Alajbegović. Spalletti describes him as a "nice player to have in the group, capable of following instructions immediately after decoding them" and emphasizes, "we are happy he stayed with us and we certainly won't give him away for free." While not giving him away, selling him might be necessary if the situation demands it. And here we begin to analyze the shadows.

The Bianconeri coach has reiterated that Juventus cannot currently make any more signings unless they first make sales, with the exception of the free agent Kessié, in whom the coach seems very confident. Nevertheless, another striker is desperately needed, and one the coach particularly likes is Sorloth, who could arrive through the sacrifice of Nico Gonzalez. This might prove to be a necessary effort because a penalty-box striker is truly essential, especially given Yildiz's injury. Speaking of injuries, we remain in the shadowy aspects of this season: the infirmary. The number ten (presumably referring to a player, though not explicitly named in this snippet) is the first high-profile victim; he will undergo foot surgery, which, as Chiellini admitted, will keep him out for a few months (at least 3). And he's not the only setback, as Spalletti himself expressed concern about Khéphren Thuram's situation: "Yes, I am worried. Despite the entire summer of recovery and rest, the fact that we have to return to this situation worries me."

Other lights come from the smiles of a coach who, despite everything, appears confident, almost aware of the many potentials ready to explode and likely having found the right key. Lights also come from some higher-caliber players, a larger squad than last season, thus offering more options. And, to add a few more lights, we can include the Europa League draw, which Spalletti himself celebrated positively: "we are very confident," before retreating into classic superstition and caution, "you always have to play the matches."