Juventus drew 2-2 with Parma at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday evening, exposing vulnerabilities in Thiago Motta’s team.
Parma struck first in the match, with Enrico Del Prato scoring in the third minute, putting the Bianconeri on the back foot. However, Juventus quickly responded, as Weston McKennie headed in a cross from Timothy Weah to level the score.
Parma regained the lead just six minutes later, capitalizing on a lapse in Juve’s defense. After Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio forced Denis Man wide, Man cut the ball back to Simon Sohm, who calmly finished under Di Gregorio, quieting the home crowd.
Weah then netted a goal to pull Juve level, and the second half played out like a heavyweight boxing match, with both teams exchanging blows relentlessly, focused more on attacking than defending.
Both teams had chances to win, with Kenan Yildiz for Juve and Pontus Almqvist for Parma coming close. However, the match ended in a draw, which did little to boost Juve’s hopes of a Scudetto challenge.
Across all competitions, the Bianconeri have secured just one win, with the rest ending in draws or losses. The injury to Brazilian center-back Bremer is beginning to appear as a turning point in the season. Bremer suffered an ACL injury early in the dramatic 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League, and since then, Juventus’ defense has been nothing short of chaotic.
Prior to his injury, Juve had conceded just one goal in Serie A. Since then, they’ve allowed seven and appear vulnerable every time the opposition pushes forward. Danilo, once a reliable presence since joining from Manchester City five years ago, has struggled to find his form under Motta.
Danilo’s performances in the last three matches have been puzzling, with more mistakes in those 270 minutes than in the past five years combined. At the start of the season, he was third-choice center-back under Motta, with Bremer and Federico Gatti preferred. This demotion appears to have shaken the Brazilian’s confidence. He not only conceded a penalty in the 1-0 home loss to Stuttgart but was also sent off.
Given Bremer’s injury, Juve are expected to search throughout the January transfer window for a new center defender, with a potential move for Paris Saint-Germain’s Milan Skriniar being discussed.
Motta is also facing issues in attack. Dusan Vlahovic has been inconsistent, showing flashes of brilliance followed by poor performances from one match to the next. Even within a single game, the Serbian striker can go from hero to zero and back again.
Vlahovic is in discussions with the club about a potential contract extension, but with his salary at a hefty $13m per season, his current form doesn’t justify such a figure. Juve will attempt to renegotiate his deal, but a departure remains possible, as Vlahovic has struggled to replicate the level of performance he showed at Fiorentina.
In reality, Vlahovic’s recent performances make it hard to justify the club continuing to pay him the large salary he’s on. The striker often seems awkward on the ball and lacks the technical finesse needed to make a real impact. Against teams that set up with tight defenses, especially weaker sides, he struggles to find space and is easily neutralized.
Motta’s frequent changes to the lineup have also created problems. He has rarely fielded the same team twice, owing in part to injuries, but also because of his uncertainty over his best XI. This lack of consistency has contributed to a tough period for Juventus, following a strong start to the season.
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