Federico Bernardeschi

Sacchi: ‘Bernardeschi isn’t Del Piero’

Arrigo Sacchi says Juventus target Federico Bernardeschi has “enormous potential” but “he’s not Baggio and he’s not Del Piero”.

The Fiorentina forward is expected to sign for the Bianconeri next week, with a medical reportedly scheduled for Monday.

The Turin giants will pay €40m to secure the Italian international, and Sacchi was asked what they’ll be getting for their money.

“He has enormous potential, both technically and athletically,” the former Milan Coach explained to Gazzetta dello Sport.

“He’s quick and resistant. I remember one time, with the national team, they were playing on a muddy pitch but until the end of the game he had a crazy progression - he always had energy.

“He has a great left foot, which can invent and sweep the ball, preferably cutting in from the right.

“He doesn’t use his right much and he needs to improve in that, if you only have one foot you risk being predictable and the opposition can shut you down more easily.

“I’d say he dribbles well, he takes on a defender and goes past them with agility and imagination. He also has a good shot on him, he sees the goal, takes aim and the result is always dangerous.

“A great player? Calm down, calm down. I’m describing a lad with notable talents, but one who has to mature and be helped.

“For example, he has to learn how to get into the rhythm of the game with consistency. To be great, you need to have an understanding with your team.

“Cristiano Ronaldo touches the ball once and it’s a goal, do you know why that is? He knows the manoeuvres that go with it, he moves in function with his teammates and gets to the conclusion.

“Bernardeschi needs to do better in that regard, less individual technique and more collective technique.”

It has been suggested that Bernardeschi could take the legendary number 10 shirt, worn by players like Michel Platini, Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero.

“He’s still a lad, they need to help him and have patience with him. The important thing is not to play the game of comparisons.

“Bernardeschi is not Del Piero and he’s not Roberto Baggio. They were more at the centre of things, while Bernardeschi moves on the wing.

“Now it’s up to him to repay the faith that a club like Juve have shown in him.

“There’s only one way to do that: make himself available to the Coach and his teammates, sacrifice for them. He’ll find the difference is the culture of perfection.

“Could his arrival change the balance of the League? Let’s not exaggerate. We’re talking about a good player who is in a phase of growth.

“He’s not yet someone who we can say will change a squad. He’s defined as a big investment for the future.

“It all depends on his rapport with his new environment and his new team.”

Having his medical today. Juventus instagram posted a pic of him at J-headquarters

Welcome home

Our new #10

https://twitter.com/juventusfcen/status/889491098141433857

ffs

Bernardeschi is here!

Bernardeschi to Juventus: what does it mean?
Monday 24 July 2017 by Paolo Menicucci

UEFA.com's Juventus reporter Paolo Menicucci picks over Massimo Allegri's summer signings and concludes that it will be 4-2-3-1 all the way for the Bianconeri this season.

With the arrival of Federico Bernardeschi from Fiorentina, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has made it clear that his first-choice playing system for the new UEFA Champions League season will be 4-2-3-1.

The Bianconeri's every move this summer seems to have been made to reinforce the system Allegri adopted midway through last season. Then he had to ask players to adapt to fit in — in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid, he played striker Mario Mandžukić as a left winger, centre-back Andrea Barzagli as a right-back and right-back Dani Alves as a winger. This season, it seems, there will be no such demands.

Having won their sixth consecutive Scudetto – and a third successive domestic double – and reached their second UEFA Champions League final in three years, Juventus this summer parted company with Alves and Leonardo Bonucci. If you bear in mind that preferred formation, those moves make sense.

The Brazilian was arguably too attack-minded to play at right-back, considering that Juve already have Alex Sandro on the left – another full-back who loves to push forward. Allegri had deployed the former Barcelona man as a winger with Andrea Barzagli, 36, filling in behind him. This season, that role will be filled by new arrival Mattia De Sciglio, who proved his tactical acumen to Allegri when he coached him at AC Milan.

The decision to allow Bonucci – part of of Juventus's famous 'BBC' defence, alongside Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini – to join Milan also has that 4-2-3-1 in mind. No-one directs a three-man defence better than the 30-year-old, but he is less of a dominant force in a back four.

With reliable centre-backs like Chiellini, Barzagli, Medhi Benatia and Daniele Rugani already in the squad – and Mattia Caldara maturing on loan at Atalanta – Allegri clearly felt a €40m fee for Bonucci was good business, freeing up the funds to sign the 23-year-old Bernardeschi.

Like Douglas Costa, who has arrived on loan from Bayern, Bernardeschi has skill, strength in one-on-one situations, explosive pace and a great shot. That should reduce Juve's reliance on Paulo Dybala when it comes to supplying openings for Gonzalo Higuaín.

"Higuaín is a phenomenal striker and we can score a lot of goals together," Douglas Costa said. "I still don't know what my position here will be, but there will be no problems. This team is made to win. I've never won the UEFA Champions League, but I think I can help Juve get on top."

With the talent in their ranks, Juventus may never have a better chance of doing so.

Number 33.

I wanted him to have the number ten. I was already planning on buying his shirt ffs

Not the brightest marketing move since #10 is usually the best selling jersey. Now maybe Dybala or Douglas will take it ??

Love 33 to be honest, great number.

If Dybala takes it, he might as well become the professor of the dark arts of hogwarts for this year because he'll be gone come the following season.

Number 10 is cursed, Sturaro take it please.

So no Bernardieci?

If no.10 is cursed after Del Piero then I'm all in for SS10

Bernardeschi:

“I haven’t played much thus far, but I am not worried. It’s like that at Juve, there is an apprenticeship to go through,” Bernardeschi told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

“When you arrive at a squad that won six Serie A titles in a row and played two Champions League Finals in three years, that’s only normal.

“It’s not a drama to be on the bench, I accepted it with calm and humility. I am not afraid of losing my place at the World Cup, as I know Giampiero Ventura admires me.

“If I am able to ensure I am ready when called upon, then there won’t be problems. Juve are Juve, it’s not easy to immediately get into sync with the team that is always hungry for victory. That is their mentality. I realised that if you don’t give 100 per cent, you get overtaken by your teammates.

“The first step is to prove I am worthy of Juve. I am working to become a firm fixture in the team and the Coach is helping me, our rapport is excellent.

“What’s happening to me also happened to Dybala when he started at Juventus. I am not the first, nor will I be the last. It takes sacrifice, hunger and quality.”
The decision to move from Fiorentina to their bitter rivals Juventus made Bernardeschi the subject of a hate campaign via social media.

“My choice is a professional one. I am and always will be grateful to Fiorentina and it is also thanks to them that I am here. I repeat: I am proud to be part of Juventus.

“I cannot deal with keyboard warriors, who spend all their time just insulting people. My sister, who just became a mother, received a message saying they hoped her baby died before it was born.

“Fortunately, I have solid foundations to rely on. Others are fragile, they suffer under this pressure and some even commit suicide.”

“I cannot deal with keyboard warriors, who spend all their time just insulting people."

How I feel when I wander into the wrong thread in the general section and the anti-Juve agenda to be honest

Don't worry, Juve is defended in those threads. It's my bread and butter.

Kudos to those shit Fio fans who send death threats to the unborn nephew

Most definitely my favourite signing of the summer, especially on a long term scale.

I think he'll be quite the player. He's big, fast and strong and he's capable of these moments. He just needs to refine his game tactically and he'll have a place at Juve for many seasons

https://streamable.com/fh1mq

Winning goal today, our best attacker without a doubt. Almost broke the net with a shot that crashed off the post

Sometimes he has a tendency to stay too wide I feel, he has to work on drifting in. Sometimes he seems like a Cuadrado clone, just glued to the right line, but when he does come off it, he looks like a pretty special player

He has been impressive no doubt but he still has a long way to go before being considered our best attacker. Most in form maybe but that's nothing to be proud of considering most of our attack is misfiring. Dybala is still our best attacker.

S wrote:He has been impressive no doubt but he still has a long way to go before being considered our best attacker. Most in form maybe but that's nothing to be proud of considering most of our attack is misfiring. Dybala is still our best attacker.

Agreed. I just meant against Cagliari

Yeah against Cagliari for sure. This season overall its Dybala all day.

Bernardeschi has a way to go in terms of understanding his role (whatever that might be) and making all the right decisions. He looks wonderful though, always seems like he is about to make stuff happen.

Hit the post, scored a goal, had plenty of good through balls and passes and hardly lost the ball.

A tall dribbler that holds his own physically, has a capable weak foot and a monster left. He can be huge.

Allegri just needs to figure out how to get the best out of him and Dybala together in the long term.

I'd actually take Higuain over anyone last season and this one. Surely, our most decisive attacker but now he's in another down period these last couple games

Last season it was Higuain by far. This season I take Dybala. Even with the down period. We'd be dead in Serie A without him.

rincon wrote:Last season it was Higuain by far. This season I take Dybala. Even with the down period. We'd be dead in Serie A without him.

I get your point, but I can't agree with it based on his down period being too low, and his CL performance being one of the worst in Europe- 0 goals on 30 odd shots

But its really the Dybala and Higuain tandem that makes the team click up front. Shame we have gotten shit at creating for Higuain, last season we fed him more, maybe its because we had less attacking options to go through

Bernardeschi looks like he'd be a diva POS but sounds like Buffon in every interview. Always speaking with maturity and saying the right things.

https://www.football-italia.net/115782/berna-%E2%80%98accepted-juventus-immediately%E2%80%99

Really fun player to watch when he his confidence is high