The former Bianconero player calls for a new signing in attack and midfield, but trusts Tudor: “He hasn’t done anything wrong: he’s the man to solve the team’s problems.”

“Juventus is in the same position as a month ago, but it has a coach who hasn’t put a foot wrong. He’s the one to solve the team’s problems.” Massimo Mauro, who made 150 appearances and won two titles with Juventus, votes for Igor Tudor. With a transfer market that never took off, Mauro believes the Croatian “has treated everyone the same and can’t do any more than that. Juve will be difficult to beat, they will have pride and enthusiasm as usual, as is in their DNA: this will be the guarantee of a good championship when the team is complete, in a market with so many difficulties in buying and selling.”

With 48 hours to go before the debut, Juve has only added David and Joao Mario to the roster: too little?

“To fight against Inter and Napoli, yes, for the top four to six places, it’s enough. On paper, Napoli and Inter seem stronger than everyone else, as they have been for a few years.”

Where do you need reinforcements most to close the gap?

“In midfield, we need substitutes who are as strong as the starters. However, I have a lot of faith in the stability that Tudor’s style of play can bring to a group with these characteristics. Juventus can become a thorn in the side of the two favorites, a surprise like Atalanta has been in recent years. If the goals come from David and his replacement… By the way, his replacement could be Vlahovic, and Tudor’s approach is allowing him to play well. That’s what went wrong last year: having players under contract and treating them like they were problems.“

So, how should Dusan be handled in this situation?

”The way Tudor has done it so far: as long as he’s there, Vlahovic is the best of them all, he plays for his place. Any player, whether his contract is expiring or he has a long contract, when he takes the field, he plays to give his best: his future depends on the goals he scores this year. If Tudor has to put a center forward in the last 20 minutes, he will field Vlahovic even if his contract is expiring.”

What are the biggest challenges for Tudor at the start of the season?

“The squad is of a very high standard, but he’s missing a star player in attack and one in midfield. We’ll see if Bremer and Gatti will be the ones in defense—I think so. I’d like Yildiz and Thuram to become key players; they have the right characteristics. Kenan needs to become more thoughtful and play with more class. The game has to depend on him, and not just in the last 16 meters. He needs to slow down a bit, think more, and become a reference point for his teammates. Thuram has the stature of a great midfielder, he too must be a reference point. If I were Tudor, I would try in every way to find the ‘loopholes’ to help them blossom. Maybe even on a psychological level, a ‘pre-match’ relationship, a chat. It could be good work from a human point of view.”

Is Randal Kolo Muani worth this long pursuit?

“I like Atalanta for signing Krstovic: he’s hungry to become really strong, he has the grit and football ignorance of a center forward, meaning he shoots at goal and scores without looking at anyone. Kolo Muani doesn’t seem better than Vlahovic to me, but you have to experience certain situations to understand them.“ Without the Frenchman, David will start on Sunday. Impressions after a month at Juve? ”I can’t wait to see him, if he’s the center forward for Juventus, he must be good. The overhead kick was a great chance he created, but I want to see more of him.”

Do you like Koopmeiners dropping back into midfield?

“The player we saw in Bergamo was a versatile midfielder, so I don’t think it’s a problem with his position. Last year, he was the player who suffered most from the tactical and technical turmoil caused by the coach and the club. He has class, shot, and pace: I would play him anywhere in midfield. With Thuram and Locatelli plus Yildiz, it’s a great midfield.”