Former Juventus and Italy defender Andrea Barzagli said on 22 October that for years Juventus have faced difficult changes and that nobody has managed to lay that foundation to start again and create the Juve of old, while also discussing the young talents he is watching with Italy Under-21s. Barzagli, now assistant to Italy Under-21 head coach Silvio Baldini, spoke on the YouTube podcast "Colpi da Maestro".
Barzagli on Italy's young players
Barzagli said: "We're missing a great talent, a generational one. But we have good players and a group of good lads who fight and try to make the step up, putting in a huge amount of effort. They also have great qualities; we're in the process of our first year. Abroad, they take it for granted that at 18 to 20 you're already playing in the first team. We're a bit slower, but it's always been that way. It takes courage to wait for them to develop, even as they make mistakes. A new Barzagli? No, everyone is different."
His view on Conte, Allegri and Sarri
Barzagli said: "Conte , Allegri and Sarri are completely different. Three people passionate about football and incredibly hard-working, with a tremendous winning mentality. They have different visions and different ways of managing things, both with the group and in terms of information and communication, internally with the directors and externally too. Now it is essential to keep an eye on everyone and everything : what you say is read and heard first and foremost by the players, who always go and read the interviews. For better or worse, they all do it. And then you send messages to the directors, the fans and, above all, the press. Different approaches and personalities, but three important managers"
Criticism of Juventus planning
Barzagli said: "For years, Juve have faced difficult changes. We're on our third management team. The good thing would be to achieve an important result with a group that has perhaps been together for a few years and can lay a foundation. In all these years, nobody has managed to lay that foundation to start again and create the Juve of old. Not necessarily my Juve, mind you, but there have been Juventus sides with strong foundations, who built themselves up and then built from there. I see them trying to do something every year, and they're not succeeding."