Juventus stays unbeaten, but fans are losing faith

In Italy, Juventus Football Club is facing challenges under the management of Thiago Motta during the current Serie A season. Although they are the only unbeaten team in the league, their performance has been lackluster; they have won merely six out of 16 matches, a situation that has frustrated fans and commentators alike. Recently, Juventus was expected to secure a victory against Venezia, a team struggling at the bottom of the Serie A table and without a win since October. Surprisingly, the match ended in a disappointing draw, with the Venezia manager, Eusebio Di Francesco, noting it was 'two points dropped'. Thiago Motta's control over the team has been questioned, as Juventus’s recent performances have been perplexing, even with their unbeaten record. They had previously broken a streak of four consecutive draws by defeating Manchester City in the Champions League, raising hopes for a solid home win against the last-placed Venezia. Instead, fans witnessed another disappointing result, leading to vocal frustrations expressed during the match by supporters who called for greater efforts from the players. Motta's stint as coach follows a desire from the club's board for a fresh approach after parting ways with Max Allegri, who had just led the team to their first silverware in three years by winning the Coppa Italia. Despite this context, Juventus's performance this season is nine points worse off compared to the same stage during Allegri's last season. While the board remains patient with Motta, expectations from the fans are understandably high, particularly regarding player performances. One player experiencing significant scrutiny is Dusan Vlahovic, whose efforts have been compromised by a knee injury to teammate Arkadiusz Milik, placing an extra burden on him to lead the line and score. Vlahovic has scored 11 goals this season, on the verge of achieving his best tally since his high-profile transfer from Fiorentina. However, his tendency to miss easy chances has drawn criticism, further complicating his relationship with the fans. The circumstances highlight the struggle Juventus faces as they seek to reinvent themselves in Serie A amidst a backdrop of high expectations from both supporters and management. While they continue to search for form and collective cohesion within the squad, the calls for improvement from the Curva Sud at the Allianz Stadium reflect a growing sense of urgency among the club's fanbase regarding their future performances in the league and the champions league.