Manuel Locatelli Getting Back to His Best for Thiago Motta’s Juventus

Juventus faced off against Milan on Saturday, January 18, with the hosts featuring two ex-Milan players in their starting line-up: Pierre Kalulu excelled in defense alongside Federico Gatti, whilst Manuel Locatelli captained the side and ran the show in central midfield, winning seven out of seven duels and completing 12 out fo 15 long balls. Thanks to second-half goals from Samuel Mbangula and Timothy Weah, Juve were able to win 2-0 and prevail with their first league win of the year, as well as their first home win in Serie A since November 9.

In doing so, Juve continued their unbeaten start to the Serie A campaign, having won eight matches and drawn 13. They sit fifth in the Serie A table, two points behind fourth-placed Lazio, and they also find themselves on track to qualify for the UEFA Champions League playoffs, sitting 17th in the table. One player who has proven vital in their start to the campaign is Locatelli.

/@btl/what-pierre-kalulu-can-provide-to-juventus-defense

Having previously struggled under the defensive tactics of Max Allegri, Locatelli has been released from the shackles and allowed to flourish under new manager Thiago Motta. He's learning from one of the greatest defensive midfielders of the previous generation, and there's reason to believe that he will continue evolving and staking his claim as one of the best defensive midfielders on the continent.