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It has been ten years since Andrea Agnelli took the reins at Juventus on May 18, 2010. Following in the footsteps of his family who have owned and mostly ran the club since the 1920s, the Italian businessman’s first year as president of the club was not a fairy tale.
The Bianconeri finished 7th in Serie A and failed to qualify for European football the next season. They also struggled in the Europa League as they were knocked out following defeats to Manchester City and Lech Poznan in the group stages of the competition.
The next nine years, however, witnessed a turnaround in fortunes at Juventus as the Turin giants dominated Calcio on the peninsula while also opening their new stadium and making a tremendous impact in Europe.
Juventus won 16 major trophies in this period which include eight Serie A titles, four Coppa Italia and four Supercoppa Italiana. The only major title that has eluded the club to this day is the UEFA Champions League, with the club having come close on two occasions when they made it to the final in 2015 and 2017 only to lose to Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.
Some fantastic players have passed through Juventus during the Andrea Agnelli era and in this article, we will break down the best starting XI of players during this period.
Honourable Mentions: Alessandro Del Piero, Paul Pogba, Gonzalo Higuaín, Miralem Pjanic, Mario Mandzukic, Patrice Evra, Medhi Benatia
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon easily walks into this team as he has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world for over a decade. While his shot-stopping ability has been instrumental to Juventus' success, it is his leadership qualities that have arguably been more important in the larger scheme of things.
As a senior player in the squad, the FIFA World Cup winner is always the go-to man. He is a leader with a contagious positive attitude and is often seen shouting orders, giving directions and providing support to his teammates on the pitch.
The veteran goalkeeper has made 323 appearances in all competitions during Andrea Agnelli's reign but he did spend one season away with Paris Saint Germain during the 2018-19 season.
Left-back: Giorgio Chiellini
The incomparable Giorgio Chiellini has been one of the few constants in the Juventus team of the Andrea Agnelli era. Constantly labelled as the last of a dying breed of tough Italian defenders, the former Livorno man's game has always been based on the precision and timing of his tackles.
An instrumental cog in the Juventus set-up at the time, the veteran defender was sorely missed in the Champions League final against Barcelona in 2015. Chiellini has made 342 appearances since the start of 2010-11 season and remains an ever-present member of the Bianconeri squad.
Centre-back: Andrea Barzagli
Andrea Barzagli's transfer from Wolfsburg is often considered one of the best pieces of business done by Juventus during Andrea Agnelli’s time as president.
The World Cup winner had a career renaissance after the move and became a regular figure in the Bianconeri defence, making 281 appearances for the club. After his retirement in 2019, the Italian defender was appointed as a member of Juventus's defensive coaching staff under Maurizio Sarri. However, he stepped down from the position earlier this month.
Centre-back: Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci was on the receiving end of heavy criticism after he controversially left Juventus for AC Milan in the summer of 2017, shortly after their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid and a reported fallout with Massimiliano Allegri.
His stint with the Milan giants was, however, short-lived as he returned the very next season with an apology for the Bianconeri faithful. While many fans still hold this against him, one should not forget his role in the club's success in the last ten years.
The 33-year-old plays a pivotal role in Juventus' build-up play from the back and provides constant balls over the top of rivals’ defences when needed.
Right-back: Stephan Lichtsteiner
Stephan Lichtsteiner has probably been one of the most underrated players at Juventus in the last ten years. Having moved from Lazio to Turin in the summer of 2011, he was a consistent player and was arguably the most energetic of all the Bianconeri full-backs and wing-backs.
Whether it was a 3-5-2 set-up or a 4-3-1-2 formation, the Swiss defender’s role down the right flank was crucial to win the ball back and help create play. He also provided crucial crosses to the strikers as there was a lack of wingers in the majority of the formations Juventus deployed in the last decade.
Left central midfielder: Arturo Vidal
A pitbull in any midfield, Arturo Vidal was a dominating presence in the Juventus team from 2011 to 2015. The Chilean did all the dirty work in the middle of the park, allowing the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba to do their magic.
Besides being a defensive stalwart, the former Bayer Leverkusen man was also impressive at the other end of the pitch. He was regularly involved in the team's attacking play and has tallied 48 goals in 171 appearances for the club.
Central midfielder: Andrea Pirlo
There is perhaps no finer midfield maestro in Italian football than Andrea Pirlo. The former Italy international was brought to Juventus on a free transfer in the summer of 2011.
Pirlo typically pulled all the strings in the Juventus midfield, providing them with the creativity they desperately needed to compete and win titles. The midfield magician won four Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italiana during his time with the Turin giants.
Right central midfielder: Claudio Marchisio
Claudio Marchisio is one of the most successful products to have come through the Juventus youth system. Regarded by the Bianconeri faithful as the heartbeat of the Bianconeri team at the time, there was no one who fought for the club like he did.
The Italian was a midfield anchor who was heavily relied upon by Antonio Conte in his first season as Juventus manager. His constant energy on the field and his leadership qualities greatly benefitted the team during his time at Juventus. He tallied 37 goals and 43 assists in 389 appearances for the club.
Central attacking midfielder: Paulo Dybala
Paulo Dybala has experienced some ups and downs with Juventus but his goal scoring prowess for the Turin powerhouse has been quite impressive, as he has registered 91 goals since he arrived in 2015.
His tally might have been higher if he was not discarded by Massimiliano Allegri after Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival. This season has, however, proven that the two attackers can play together successfully, especially with more creativity from the midfield.
The skilful Argentine has won over Juventus and their manager and his refusal to leave the club will surely earn him more respect from the Bianconeri faithful in the years to come.
Left forward: Cristiano Ronaldo
The signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2018 was considered a major statement as Juventus looked set to take not only Italy but the entirety of Europe by storm.
The presence of the Portuguese talisman within the Bianconeri set-up had an immediate impact on the club’s finances, their marketing reach and their social media following, besides the pitch itself.
The 35-year-old endured a slow start with the Turin giants but soon began terrorising defences across the continent, so far tallying 53 goals in 75 games for the club.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been heavily criticised for failing to inspire the Old Lady to a Champions League title. The criticism has been deemed unfair by many fans who believe he has been the only player to have shown up for Juventus in big European games over the past two seasons, with his outstanding comeback hat-trick against Atletico Madrid a testament to the fact.
Having said that, Ronaldo is the best player in the Juventus squad and his contributions to the club will surely not be overlooked.
Right forward: Carlos Tevez
Carlos Tevez became an important figure at Juventus upon his arrival from Manchester City in the summer of 2013 as his elegance, skill, pace and goalscoring prowess were sorely needed within the Bianconeri squad at the time.
The Argentine forward scored 50 goals in 95 games for the Old Lady and some of them were crucial to Juventus’ run to the UEFA Champions League final against Barcelona in 2015.
