On the 15th of July 2014, Juventus fans were left shell-shocked following the departure of their (at the time) beloved manager, Antonio Conte.
“A read cold shower” – this is how ilBianconero perfectly describes the situation, as the club was left without a coaching staff two days into pre-season.
The Lecce native was a former club captain, and therefore, the fans were pleased when he was appointed as a manager in the summer of 2011.
Conte delivered the goods from the get-go, securing the Old Lady’s first Scudetto title since 2006 in his first season at the helm, before continuing to dominate the Serie A landscape in the next two campaigns.
But out of the blue, the 51-year-old announced his departure from the club, with differences on the transfer strategy being the more likely reason.
Hours after the staggering announcement, Massimiliano Allegri was revealed as the replacement, which was met by even more outrage from the fans – due to his time at Milan.
Luckily for the Bianconeri, the new manager was able to build on the success of his predecessor, and even exceeding it by guiding the club towards the Champion League final during his first season in charge.
The former Cagliari man eventually left in 2019, as the management sought a change of air. But after two underwhelming campaigns under the tutelages of Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo, he was once again called upon to lead the club towards a brighter future.
So the same man who was met with unpleased crowds upon his initial arrival seven years ago, returns to the black and white house much to the delight of the same fans.
But will he be able to replicate the success he achieved during his first stint?
