As Serie A, once the world's top football league, gradually declined in standing across European football after the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, its teams gradually lost their competitiveness. It was only in the past few years that things began to improve.
What drew the most criticism, without a doubt, was Serie A teams' tactics and technical approach.
Since the 2008–09 season, when Guardiola's Barcelona led the rise of possession-based football, Italy's football philosophy had gradually fallen behind those of Europe's other three major leagues. Combined with poor youth development, a lack of financial strength, and various other factors, this caused Serie A teams to decline. Even clubs like AC Milan and Inter Milan failed to make their mark in European football.
It was only with Juventus's rise that Italian football gradually found a path of its own.
Juventus's tactics retained the characteristics of Italian football: a solid iron defense and a leisurely tempo, while also incorporating many advanced European tactical concepts. To protect Pirlo, they continually moved the core area of their possession play backward, placing it in front of the defense. That was why they needed defenders like Chiellini and Bonucci.
It could be said that at Juventus, the midfield was not primarily about control. It was more about covering ground and linking play. Going forward, the midfielders had to be able to reach the opponent's penalty area and create a numerical advantage; dropping back, they had to defend the area in front of their own box and protect the back line.
That was why versatility was undoubtedly a crucial attribute among Juventus's midfielders. From Vidal to Marchisio, from Pogba to Khedira and Matuidi... every one of them was the same.
And in Juventus's rise, Pirlo was a figure impossible to overlook.
This outstanding deep-lying playmaker in European football, partnered