Page 36 - Soccer360 Issue 107

SEASON PREVIEW
2024-25
EPL SEASON REVIEW
Juventus, Bottom: Douglas Luiz is Juventus’ standout signing under new coach Thiago Motta
AC Milan, Top:
Paulo Fonseca was a surprise choice as AC Milan’s new head coach
LAST SEASON
LAST SEASON
LAST SEASON
DID YOU KNOW?
AC Milan signed Raphael Leao in 2019 for a reported fee of €35 million. In his third season with the club, he helped them win the 2021–22 Serie A, which ended the club’s lack of league titles for 11-years.
KEY PLAYER
KEY PLAYER
KEY PLAYER
JUVENTUS
FINISH: 3rd Place
RECORD: 19-14-5
MOST GOALS: Vlahovic (16)
LAZIO
LECCE
FINISH: 14th place RECORD: 8-14-16
MOST GOALS: Krstovic (7)
The Bianconeri underwent a major revamp at the behest of new coach Thiago Motta, who replaces Maximiliano Allegri. Brazilian international midfielder Douglas Luiz joined in a blockbuster $54 million deal from
Aston Villa along with French international Khephren Thuram, goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and defender Juan Cabal. Long-serving midfielder Adrien Rabiot left while ex-Next Gen players Matias Soule, Samuel Iling-Junior and Dean Huijsen were all sold. Defensive mainstay Bremer, exciting Turkish wide man Kenan Yildiz and leading scorer Dusan Vlahovic will all be expected to step up if Juve are to mount a credible title challenge. That is the least that the club and its supporters demand, having gone four years without claiming the Scudetto.
Douglas Luiz
Former Hellas Verona coach Marco
Baroni was an unexpected choice to fill
the Biancocelesti hotseat after the abrupt departure of Igor Tudor, who oversaw the final weeks of last season after Maurizio Sarri resigned. A season of transition awaits the capital club following the departure
of iconic all-time leading goalscorer Ciro Immobile to Besiktas, and influential Spanish playmaker Luis Alberto’s move to Qatari club Al-Duhail.
Matching last season’s seventh place
could be a tall order for a squad
which underperformed under both Sarri and Tudor. New forwards Tijjani Noslin and Loum Tchaouna will compete for starting places with Taty Castellanos up front, while left-back Nuno Tavares arrived on loan from Arsenal.
Taty Castellanos
Luca Gotti’s remit is to lead the Puglia
club to safety after he steadied the ship following Roberto D’Aversa’s dismissal last season. The Salentini finished 14th following Gotti’s appointment in March and enter their third straight top-flight campaign among the likely relegation candidates. Director Pantaleo Corvino has a habit of finding previously unheralded talents - teenage Danish wing-back Patrick Dorgu shone last term - and new additions Filip Marchwinski and Tete Morente - recruited from Lech Poznan and Elche respectively
- will be among those aiming to make a name for themselves this year. The big summer departure was Croatian defender Marin Pongracic who joined Fiorentina.
Patrick Dorgu
FINISH: 7th Place
RECORD: 18-7-13
MOST GOALS: Immobile (7)
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