On Wednesday, Juventus completed the first part of a three-part trial that the Serie A side has targeted to claim the title of world’s best
“And one”.
All three of Italy’s daily sports newspapers placed this on their front page after Juventus beat Lazio to lift the Coppa Italia on Wednesday night. It’s trophy number one of a dream called The Treble, the true, ambitious aim of the Bianconeri this season – winning Serie A and then the Champions League.
The Coppa Italia was a well deserved victory, with the Bianconeri dominating Lazio and putting the game to sleep early in the first half, then controlling and administrating energy resources for the next decisive weeks. It is the least prestigious of the three titles, yet just as important if a team wants to conquer all.
Sulla #Gazzetta in edicola oggi ⚽ Coppa Italia: Juve, e uno! ⚽ Milan, doppio colpo ? Dramma Hayden, è grave #Giro100 Nibali punge Quintana. pic.twitter.com/Uea0h30WGw
— LaGazzettadelloSport (@Gazzetta_it) May 18, 2017
After Inter managed a clean sweep of three in 2010, Juve fans have become obsessed with the idea of repeating the feat and have yet another reason for feeling superior. After going very close in 2015, this year Juventus have everything to win all three and it feels like it really is their turn. Winning a sixth Serie A title is a formality, with three points needed from the remaining two games. What is crucial is the Champions League final in Cardiff.
Only seven clubs have managed to conquer the Treble, meaning national cup, league title and the Champions League, and only one has done it twice, Barcelona obviously, also being the last ones to achieve the clean sweep, in 2015. It takes concentration, personality, self-confidence and a winning mentality, as well as all the qualities needed to succeed from skill up front to strength at the back, and a good dose of luck.
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocoj8KwfhM8[/fve]
Juventus really seem to have all of these this season, more so than in 2015. Two years ago the Bianconeri were underdogs and lacked that proper winning mentality and the self-confidence to win in Europe as well as domestically. With the victory over Barcelona in the quarter final, Juve showed the world, and themselves, what they are capable of doing.
Real Madrid are masters of the winning mentality and confidence, especially in the Champions League. Whilst Juve have lost six finals, Los Blancos have won 11. Both are records. But no one has ever won two consecutive Champions League trophies since the competition has been in its current format, and if there’s one team in Europe who can stop Real Madrid from being the first, it’s Juventus.
Juve have the best defence in the world, the numbers bear witness, helped by 11 men who all run for each other. Real Madrid have an atomic attack and great midfield, but have conceded more than expected this season. If Juve are able to control Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates, the feeling is the Bianconeri will put at least one or two goals past Keylor Navas, with Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala in such fantastic form.
Juventus have lost too many finals and have already been close to the Treble: it’s their time to shine. The work of Massimiliano Allegri, the evergreen experience of Gianluigi Buffon, the will to conquer everything: Juve have the fire in their eyes needed to be the champions of Europe. Everything is ready for them to make history.
