Why are Juventus so far ahead of the pack?

Juventus have dominated the league for half a decade now. / Image via maltatoday.com.mt

Juventus have dominated the Serie A for five years now, no side posing a viable threat to the Bianconeri’s title run. Why can no one compete with La Vecchia Signora?

How much money?

Juventus have been building up their arsenal thanks to a generous sum invested in the transfer window by their owners, the Agnelli family. Funded partly by the selling of Pogba, Juventus dominated this summer’s transfer window, making many signings such as top scorer Gonzalo Higuain, Miralem Pjanic, Dani Alves, and Mehdi Benatia. While other clubs such as Inter may have the same funds, if not more, Juventus are able to attract top-tier players thanks to their prestige and participation in European competitions.

Who is the team?

Juventus have by far the best lineup in the Serie A, an all-around team with one of the best, if not the best defense in the world. Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci, Alex Sandro, and Dani Alves provide plenty of depth for any formation Allegri wishes to use, and veteran Gianluigi Buffon is between the sticks. In midfield, an excellent trio of Pjanic, Marchisio, and Khedira. And in one of the deadliest attacking lineups in world football, superstar youngster Paolo Dybala, pacey Juan Cuadrado, and El Pipita himself. Juventus have an incredible lineup, and they will continue to build on it in the coming years, already having purchased Pjaca, Orsolini, and Cataldi for the future.

Juventus also have an impressive array of coaches; their current coach is Massimilliano Allegri, a manager who is widely respected around the game. Previously, Antonio Conte, current Chelsea manager and arguably one of the best coaches in football, led the Bianconeri. Although it may not be too difficult to get results with the lineup they have, you have to give some credit to the coaching staff for the success they’ve had in these years.

Looking at the Trophy Cabinet

What have Juventus accomplished over the last five years? Only five successive Serie A titles, adding onto their lead, two Coppa Italia wins, three Suppercoppa Italiana wins, and a Champions League final to be exact. The one thing missing is that elusive Champions League trophy. They came ever so close in 2014-2015 when they lost to a Barcelona team that was one of the best in history. They’ll need to act fast before, like every great team, they start to go downhill.

While they may not be as successful as Milan’s glory days with the Dutch trio or Inter’s back-to-back Champions League wins in 1964-1965, you could argue that they are potentially even better. Will this be the year they finally lay their hands on the trophy? It waits to be seen.

The Lack of Competition

Where is everyone? Juventus have raced to the front of the pack, and no one seems to be able to do anything about it. It’s practically a race for second at this point. Even last year, when Juventus had an abysmal start to the season, they were able to rally back, pulling out win after win to end comfortably atop the table.

Milan and Inter are gone, no longer the Champions League winning teams of years past, and new contenders such as Napoli and Roma have neither the talent nor the money to pose a threat. The league is very one-sided, a stark contrast from the competition evident in the other top leagues like the Premier League or La Liga.

Juventus fans should relish this moment; you never know when disaster will strike, although it looks as though they won’t go down without a fight.