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Juventus have made a largely uninspiring start to their 2020-21 Serie A campaign, drawing too many games and a general overreliance on Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Bianconeri seemed to have rediscovered their mojo after winning 4-0 at Parma. However, a chastening 0-3 loss at home to Fiorentina, their first in Serie A this season, meant that Juventus had to start all over again.
To their credit, Juventus have managed to win their next three games - beating Udinese 4-1 at home, toppling table-toppers AC Milan 3-1 away and Sassuolo 3-1 at home - to move to within seven points of the Rossoneri, albeit with a game in hand.
Though they are at an unfamiliar fourth position in the league table after 16 rounds of fixtures, Juventus are beginning to claw their way back and make up ground on the Rossoneri.
With 22 games remaining, Juventus will fancy their chances of another successful Serie A campaign despite not leading the league table at any point this season.
On that note, let us take a look at five reasons why the Bianconeri could win a record-extending tenth consecutive Scudetto this summer:
#1 Title-winning pedigree
Unlike any other team in the competition, Juventus boast a bevy of players who have rich experience of winning the Serie A.
Among others, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has won ten Scudettos with the Bianconeri. The central defensive pair of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci (eight with Juventus, one with AC Milan) has won nine Serie A titles apiece.
Buffon has largely played second fiddle for Juventus and so has Chiellini but Bonucci is still a key player for the Bianconeri; their collective experience in many title races could help Juventus win the 2020-21 Serie A.
#2 Blistering form of Cristiano Ronaldo
Like a bottle of fine wine, Cristiano Ronaldo has only gotten better with age.
The 35-year-old Portugal captain has had one of his best starts to a league campaign in years, plundering 15 goals in only 13 games to sit atop the competition's scoring charts.
Ronaldo is a big-game player and has scored some key goals for Juventus in the Serie A this season. His brace at AS Roma and a goal at Lazio helped Juventus salvage a share of the spoils in both games.
With Ronaldo's eyes firmly fixed on winning his first Capocannoniere award, the form of the striker could be key in Juventus plotting another triumph in one of their most tricky Serie A campaigns during their decade-long domination in the competition.
#3 Juventus's home form
Juventus just do not lose Serie A games at home. During their nine consecutive Serie A-winning seasons, the Bianconeri endured a home loss in the Serie A on a miserly six occasions.
This season, Juventus have won five of their eight home games in the Serie A, a number that is going to increase as the season progresses.
To put these numbers into perspective, the corresponding second-placed team during the last nine seasons cumulatively conjured 14 home losses (Napoli - five in five seasons, AS Roma - five in three seasons, AC Milan - two in one season and Inter Milan - two in one season).
Although the Bianconeri have not won the most home games in the Serie A this season, their incredible home form during the last decade could be key in another successful title run.
#4 The emergence of Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie has been one of the standout players for Juventus this season.
Since his arrival at the club this summer, the young American has become a first-team regular, dishing out impressive performances from midfield and scoring crucial goals.
The 22-year-old, who has scored twice in the league this season, scored the equaliser against Torino in the Turin derby, paving the way for Juventus's win that kept the reigning champions in touching distance of the league leaders. He has also provided two assists.
The Juventus manager recently spoke about the player and his growing impact at the club, saying in this regard:
"McKennie is great at winning back the ball, but is also very strong when pushing forward. He is young and needs to work on his technique, but that will come."
Indeed, McKennie's form could be crucial in Juventus' march to another triumph in the Serie A this season.
#1 The Andrea Pirlo factor
It hasn't been a comfortable first managerial season for Andrea Pirlo at the helm of Juventus.
Going by their staggering standards, the Bianconeri have made one of their worst starts to a Serie A season in years, pushing Pirlo to the brink of a sack.
However, the former player has provided glimpses of his tactical nous, eking out a fine win at Barcelona to wrest top spot in the Champions League and handing league leaders AC Milan their first defeat of the season.
Though he has played with many of the current Juventus players, Pirlo hasn't been afraid to ring in the changes in terms of tactics or personnel.
That could be key in catching up with the two Milan clubs and AS Roma, who are all above Juventus in the league table. However, the Bianconeri do have games in hand on all three clubs.
