ANALYSIS: Juventus summer buys pay off handsomely
Who would have imagined this a mere two months ago? Max Allegri has done a great job in helping this team to rise up again. The Gazzetta dello Sport, however, has also studied Juventus' initially-criticised transfer policy, which has breathed new life into the Bianconeri Starting XI.
Let's begin with Sami Khedira: initially injury-prone, the former Real Madrid midfielder has become an indispensable cog in Juventus' midfield, and the team has yet to lose with him on the field.
Alex Sandro has proved the naysayers wrong and, were he to continue like this, nobody will remember how much he cost. His forays down the left and his assists have been crucial in helping Juventus climb back up the table.
And what of Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala? The latter has filled the hole connecting the midfield to the attack, a role previously filled up by Carlos Tevez. Mario Mandzukic, on the other hand, looked like he was finished when he first joined. No-one's saying that anymore.
Giuseppe Marotta must be beaming right now. As Pierpaolo Marino wrote for us a few weeks ago, it takes courage for a sporting director to rebuild his team before such a need is felt. Marotta has done just that, and has arguably ensured that this team can keep competing far longer than if he had kept Pirlo, Tevez and Vidal.
Edo Dalmonte (@edodalmonte)
