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Juventus have endured one of their most forgettable seasons in recent history - failing to consolidate on their 9 consecutive Scudetto’s. To add to this, they were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16. The Bianconeri were also under threat of losing out on a Top 4 spot, but staged a resurgence in the last few weeks of the season.
Juventus secured a Champions League spot, winning their final match of the Serie A season, along with some help from Napoli and their slip-up. The club also went on to win the Coppa Italia title, emerging 2-1 winners over high-flying Atalanta. We’ve witnessed some world-class talent in action for Juventus, including some old horses and a few young guns.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the five best Juventus players this season.
#5 Alvaro Morata
The Atletico Madrid loanee has been one of Juventus’ star forwards this season, ranking second in terms of goals and assists among his teammates.
In 44 appearances across all competitions this season, Morata has been directly involved in 31 goals (20 goals, 11 assists). The Spaniard has proved to be a solid strike partner for Cristiano Ronaldo, with a good passing range allowing Morata to find the likes of Chiesa and Ronaldo in dangerous positions.
The 28-year old has registered a passing accuracy of around 75% in Serie A this season, along with 11.4 passes in the final third per 90 minutes. Morata is equally adept at finding the back of the net, ending the season as Juventus’ second-highest goalscorer in Serie A.
The two-time Champions League winner scored a brace in Bianconeri’s must-win season finale against Bologna - securing a European spot for the upcoming season.
#4 Matthijs de Ligt
One of the most expensive defenders in world football, Matthijs de Ligt has shown more consistent phases of his tremendous potential this season.
The 21-year old notched up 36 appearances across all competitions for Juventus, despite missing a third of the season due to a shoulder injury and a positive COVID-19 test. Whenever fit, De Ligt has been a mainstay at the heart of Bianconeri’s defense, proving instrumental in earning nine clean sheets this season.
The young Dutchman has shown good composure in pressure situations, winning 0.9 tackles out of the 1.5 tackles attempted per 90 minutes in Serie A. De Ligt has also been solid in the air, registering a shade above 68% in aerial duels won, with 2.2 aerial duels won in every 3.6 duels attempted per 90 in the Serie A season.
After spending two seasons at Allianz Stadium, De Ligt looks like the perfect man to lead Juventus’ defense for many years to come.
#3 Juan Cuadrado
Juan Cuadrado, a former Premier League winner with Chelsea, has been one of the best fullbacks for Juventus in Serie A this season.
While Cuadrado is not the best defensive fullback in world football, he is one of the best going forward, making overlapping, incisive runs and passes into the opposition third. The Colombian accumulated 17 assists for the Bianconeri from his fullback position - the most among his Juventus teammates.
Cuadrado has registered a passing accuracy of a whopping 88%, completing 1.67 passes per 90 minutes. The 32-year old also racked up 50 chances in the 2020/21 Serie A season, filling in for Juventus' underperforming playmakers in midfield.
After spending a significant part of his career in a wide midfield role, Cuadrado adapted quickly as a right-back under former manager Maurizio Sarri, and has evolved his game since.
The 32-year old has improved the defensive side of his game this season, winning 1.0 out of 1.8 tackles attempted per 90 minutes in Serie A this season.
#2 Federico Chiesa
Another player set to depart Allianz Stadium at the end of his loan term, Federico Chiesa, has played a significant role in Juve’s surge to the top 4 and the Coppa Italia triumph.
On loan from Fiorentina, Chiesa has been one of Juventus’ most productive attacking players, with 15 goals and 11 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions. The Italian scored the winner against Atalanta in the Coppa Italia finals, helping Juventus secure their first league cup in 3 years.
Despite a misfiring misfield, Chiesa has been instrumental in creating goal-scoring chances for Morata and Ronaldo - along with the ability to take on defenders.
Chiesa has registered an xG (expected goals) of 8.2 and an xA (expected assists) of 7.5 across all competitions this season. The 23-year old has another year left on his loan deal and if he continues his fine performances, Juventus will likely sign him on a permanent deal.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese superstar is showing no signs of slowing down as he became the only player to finish as the top scorer in three of Europe’s major domestic leagues.
Cristiano Ronaldo was Juventus’ best player this season by a proverbial country mile, leading the club’s front line and acting as the focal point in attack. Despite a lack of creativity from the midfielders, Ronaldo has propelled Juventus to a Champions League spot, scoring 29 goals from 33 Serie A appearances.
The Portuguese was involved in 40% of Juventus' Serie A goals this season, along with one out of every 3 goals in the Champions League. Ronaldo was also a key ingredient in Juve’s Coppa Italia glory, scoring a brace to knock out Inter Milan in the semi-final stage.
Even at 36, Ronaldo has exhibited peak physical fitness - playing in 82% of Juve’s minutes in Serie A. The five-time Ballon D’Or winner racked up 36 goals and 4 assists from 44 appearances across all competitions this season - scoring a goal every 104 minutes.
