Since the conclusion of the previous campaign, Juventus made their intentions clear regarding Manuel Locatelli. The Bianconeri identified the young Italian as the right man to enhance the club’s struggling midfield department.
Following a saga that lasted for months, the Old Lady eventually landed her target. However, his late arrival meant that the player missed the whole pre-season, and Max Allegri only relied om him as a substitute during the first two matches of the season.
Nonetheless, the sub-par performances of some of his teammates will surely prompt the manager to unleash the former Sassuolo man from the get-go in the big weekend clash at Napoli.
Locatelli, also proved to be in a great shape during Italy’s draw against Switzerland last Sunday, and former Juventus midfielder, Alessio Tacchinardi believes that he’s ready for the occasion.
“Compared to his time at Milan, Locatelli has grown a lot, he is another player now. First of all on a physical level, but also in terms of intensity and rhythm. I don’t know where and how Allegri intends to deploy him, but I see him ready to take the reins,” said Tacchinardi in an interview with la Gazzetta dello Sport.
“The quality that makes him unique in the squad and, therefore decisive, is his ability to verticalize with long balls from 20 to 30 meters. This will make Locatelli the lighthouse of the team. In my opinion, Manuel is already a complete player, but he still has to prove his qualities at the biggest stage, including the Champions League.”
Tacchinardi also spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit, saying that its late timing put Juventus in serious difficulties. On the other hand, the former Bianconeri soldier reaffirmed his belief that Federico Chiesa can win the Ballon d’Or in three or four years, comparing the young Italian to club legend, Pavel Nedved.
