Juventus’ already dreadful September has somehow managed to get even worse. A miserable run of form saw the club winless with two draws and two losses and thousands of fans calling for “Allegri Out” on social media going into Sunday’s match against newly promoted AC Monza. What followed was a performance that would earn almost any top club’s manager the sack, as Monza handily beat Juventus 1-0 and thoroughly deserved to do so.
The gulf in class between Juventus and the best sides in Europe has never been more clear. Despite a second-half goal from Weston McKennie, Massimiliano Allegri’s side was humbled in Paris as Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and Lionel Messi imposed their will on the Juve defense, winning 2-1.
The largest club competition in the world returns on Tuesday. Following the draw on Aug. 25, the Champions League groups have been made and play will begin on Sept. 6 when both games in Group G kick off.
The18 staff broke out our crystal balls to make some bold predictions for the 2022-23 Champions League season. Let us know how you feel about our Champions League predictions for 2022-23.
Corey Basciano (Client Experience)
With the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League draw finishing on Thursday, we now know what groups all the Americans are in. How many Americans play in the Champions League 2022-23 edition, you might ask? Here’s a list of the 11 Americans who could get minutes in Europe’s top competition this summer.
Walking out, pointing skyward, Paulo Dybala’s return to the Allianz was clearly emotional. A cathedral that was home to many of his best moments in the black and white of Juventus was the host of his third match for rivals Roma. After a lap showing love for his old fans, and extra time greeting his former teammates, Dybala and Roma left Turin with a 1-1 draw.
Juventus is the Manchester United of Italian soccer; rich in history but utterly clueless when success is not on its side. After a dominant 3-0 win over Sassuolo in Match Week 1, Juventus traveled to Sampdoria on Monday and slumped back to the dreadful, sleep-inducing tactical performance fans have come to expect from Massimiliano Allegri’s side. As a result, many have taken to Twitter using #AllegriOut to voice their frustration.
With nine successive Serie A titles followed by two campaigns where Champions League qualification seemed a shallow silver lining, Juventus’ fall from grace has been clear to see in recent years. This summer has seen several big names depart Turin, and the Bianconeri will be hard-pressed to find adequate replacements in order to once again fight for the Scudetto.
We’ve been waiting for the 2022 USMNT World Cup jersey reveal since the U.S. qualified for Qatar 2022 back in March. We’ve seen a variety of supposed leaks and rumors of kits, and The18 even created our own concept uniforms. Yet we still wait for Nike to unveil the uniforms the USMNT will wear at its first World Cup appearance since 2014.
It's being reported that Weston McKennie dislocated his shoulder in training ahead of Juventus’ preseason match against Real Madrid on Saturday night. With the World Cup just months away, how does this impact the USMNT’s preparation for the tournament?
Weston McKennie could be out for at least a month after dislocating his shoulder
Juventus and FC Barcelona squared off in Dallas on Wednesday night for another preseason friendly. The teams displayed their attacking prowess for 90 minutes with the spoils ultimately shared finishing 2-2, but Weston McKennie, a Dallas-area native, was strangely kept on the bench.
Are they just not gonna play McKennie in Texas?
— Matt Cocco (@MattCocco) July 27, 2022