Juventus U23 changes its skin: it becomes Juventus Next Gen, in step with the times

Juventus Under 23 officially changes, becomes Juventus Next Gen. It is not a simple change of name, after four years of history: with this renaming the company aims to consolidate its brand on the project (the only one in Italy that allows young people to make an intermediate transition between the youth sector and the first team) and to propose a new concept of managing one’s talents close to the leap into football that counts. It goes well beyond the squad of the Second team which presents itself for the fifth consecutive year at the starting line of the new Serie C championship.

under 23

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The history of the first four years of the project has made the reference of Under 23 out of place. It is true, by regulation it is possible to insert a maximum of four Over in the official match lists, from the age of 24 upwards, but in fact Juve has built the last roses on a much lower average age, around twenty years old. It is no coincidence that the main protagonists of this season will be the 2002 and 2003 classes, the latter having just come out of the Primavera championship and grappling with their first experiences among the pros. In the new concept of Juventus Next Gen, however, Miretti and Soulé are also to be considered an integral part of the group, both on a permanent basis in the squad of Allegri’s first team, like the many other young people (such as De Winter and Ranocchia) who have been loaned. after making a growth pass in the Second team. The purpose of the common path, after all, is the maximum enhancement of the players trained at home.

DEPARTURE

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The evolution of the project tells of continuous growth. In the summer of 2018, Juve was the only Italian club that was ready to set up the Second team: gathering together several young people who had sent out on loan in previous years and four Over players who at that moment proved to be essential to face Serie C. The team entrusted to Mauro Zironelli in fact encountered difficulties in settling into the category, so much so that it found itself at a certain point at the bottom of the standings. Even the president Andrea Agnelli had to intervene, visiting Vinovo after a training session, to convey serenity and renew confidence in the team and the technical staff, and to reaffirm the club’s desire to bet with conviction on the project. The first season ended in twelfth place, out of the playoffs: with 42 points.

ITALIAN CUP

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In the very first Under 23 also a very young Fagioli began to move, much more protagonist – like Zanimacchia (today at Cremonese) – in the following season (2019-2020) with Fabio Pecchia on the bench. The experience of the coach in the second foreign teams was useful to better understand the methods and management of the week, totally different from a normal category team that works with a well-defined group: in that squad Damy Mota Carvalho immediately exploded, who after the first part of the season was sold outright to Monza, and the last step of growth was made by Frabotta, Vrioni, Dragusin and Delli Carri. Season interrupted by Covid in February, the tenth place nevertheless gave the opportunity to play the playoffs and the success in the first round with Padova reserved great satisfaction. The exit from the scene immediately after with the Carrarese left a bad taste in the mouth. But it was celebrated for the victory in the Italian Cup in the category: 2-1 in the final against Ternana.

GROWTH

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The subsequent appointment of Andrea Pirlo (immediately promoted to the first team) led Lamberto Zauli to the helm from the summer of 2020. Continuity work and records of points and placements improved from year to year: the last two years has brought out talents of the caliber of Ranocchia (now in A at Monza), Felix Correia, Wesley, Rafia and again De Winter (now on loan to Empoli), Compagnon, Da Graca, Israel (sold to Sporting Lisbon), Sekulov, Riccio, Miretti, Aké and Soulé. The continuous improvement is the result of the programming that the club has continued to do, going well beyond the field results, starting from the previous age categories. The focus of the project has always remained faithful to the training of the player: the new Juventus Next Gen of Massimo Brambilla, freshly appointed, is in short a well-tested machine that travels fast.