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All eyes were on Juventus when the Champions League kicked off last season. After luring Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid to the Allianz Stadium, there was a lot of optimism in Turin regarding their chances of returning to the summit of European football.
Despite starting the campaign on the front foot, it was unfortunate that they couldn't go all the way to achieve their dream. The Bianconeri failed to go beyond the quarterfinals. They succumbed to a young Ajax side who narrowly edged them to progress into the last round.
The Old Lady isn't a club to give up easily. They've returned this season with their eyes still focused on claiming the European crown. With Cristiano Ronaldo in their team, they surely have a decent chance to go all the way and win the tournament. However, they need to ensure they do the three things discussed below in order to bolster their chances:
#3 Get the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo remained an influential figure for Juventus throughout their stay in the Champions League last season - putting up series of superb performances for the Old Lady. Yet, a closer look at his exploits for the term reveals that the Bianconeri failed to get the best out of their talisman.
The Portuguese finished the European tournament with 6 goals to his name from 9 appearances. However, it is important to realize that it was the first time he failed to hit double figures in the competition in over 5 years.
During the 2017/2018 season, Ronaldo scored 15 Champions League goals for Real Madrid. He finished with 12 goals to his name in the 2016/2017 season while his 2015/2016 campaign also produced 16 goals. Comparing that with his output from last term, we can clearly see that Juve could've gotten a lot more from him.
Hence, the team needs to step up around the attacker this season and ensure he is afforded the adequate support and atmosphere to flourish. His influence remains key to their chances of winning the European crown.
#2 Have a 'Plan B' to Ronaldo
Ronaldo proved to us once again last season that he is still the man for the big moments with his extraordinary efforts in the knockout stage of the Champions League. His man-of-the-match performance against Atletico Madrid in Turin will be remembered as one of the highlights of his career.
Despite his brilliance, the problem was in the fact that Juventus depended entirely on him for inspiration. The Bianconeri couldn't produce anything tangible without Ronaldo. The Portuguese was constantly dropping deep to pick up the ball and start attacking moves, before rushing into the box to finish off chances.
The fact that he scored all of Juve's goals in the knockout phase clearly highlights how much the team depended on him. Although Ronaldo is more than capable of single-handedly leading his team to glory at any stage, having a 'Plan B' will be helpful to the Bianconeri, should the attacker have an off day or fail to provide the answer.
#1 Give more chances to young players
Juve's Champions League team last season was made up mainly of veteran superstars. Although experience matters in the European tournament, it has been proven several times that older players struggle when they face youthful teams. That was what happened against Ajax.
The Bianconeri were heavily exposed by a young Ajax team when they faced-off in the quarterfinals. The old guards of Turin failed to match the pace and intensity put forth by their Eredivisie counterparts. They got exhausted faster, which the boys from the Netherlands capitalized on to send them out of the tournament - despite an impressive display from Ronaldo.
This season, the Bianconeri need to take a step further by giving more room to youth. Matthijs De Ligt was signed this summer. The defender should be allowed to develop and offer his best to the team. The likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Merih Demiral are also ready to step up. These young players should be given adequate opportunities.
