The first part of the Juventus Under 19 season ended on 12th November, and ended with a defeat on the field of leaders Roma. However, this result has certainly not obscured the path of this team in these first months under the guidance of Paolo Montero.
And two simple figures would suffice to summarise this first part of the year positively: 2nd place in the league standings, only behind the Giallorossi, but with the best attack (34 goals scored in the first 12 Matchdays) and qualification for the knockout phase in the UEFA Youth League at the end of a tough group with PSG, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa.
In addition to these excellent achievements, the team coached by Uruguayan, Montero has amazed with his great character, as well as for his enormous technical quality. Our Primavera has taken on, in all respects, the "semblance" of Paolo Montero and we could have expected this peculiarity from his first day of work, just as he had told us in his first interview as new Juventus Under 19 coach.
Now, let's go over these first few months together, focusing on some key matches:
THE SEASON DEBUT
The season officially began on Friday 19th August, with a difficult away game to Sassuolo. The Bianconeri returned to Turin with a point, the first for Montero, but proving that they already have the character of the coach and above all many shots on goal like a champion. In fact, the action that leads to Samuel Mbangula's goal is proof of this. In the minds of the staff and players, however, there is a desire to continue improving and this aspect will be a constant that will accompany them week after week.
THREAD OF VICTORIES
For Paolo Montero there is only one watchword: work. And so it will be and the results on the pitch will not be far away as the wins start to come - different from each other, but each important in its own way - with Udinese, Empoli and Atalanta. The result is nine points in three games that project Juve to the top of the standings, ahead of everyone else.
THE FIRST YOUTH LEAGUE MATCH
After this run of wins in Italy, Juventus Under 19 are ready to fact their first European appointment, as the Bianconeri's journey in the Youth League begins in Paris, against PSG. The first defeat of the season will come at the triple whistle. A defeat which, in fact, will further raise the level of competitiveness, attention and determination of the team, also driven by the coach's words at the end of the match against the French side.
«In this competition you come up against teams with both speed and quality like PSG, who deserved the win. We have to grow in attitude, aware that we are strong, but with the desire to demonstrate it in all fields. This defeat should make us understand that we have to play every game with the same mindset, because it's a fundamental step for the boys' future career. There is quality, but there is still room for improvement, we are here to help and we will continue to do so, I am really happy to work with them and how they are working hard. Losing can happen, let's hope it doesn't happen again." Paolo Montero
THE KEY GAME IN SERIE A
It's precisely from the difficulties that the true character of a team can be seen and Montero's demonstrates it immediately, especially in the second match of the Youth League, against the reigning European and World champions, Benfica. Returning to Italy, however, the match that allows the Juventus Under 19 season to turn ever more upwards is undoubtedly the Derby della Mole played away at the Stadio Silvio Piola in Vercelli. A sensational comeback, at the end of a crazy game ending in Bianconeri delirium!
THE KEY GAME IN EUROPE
If, on the other hand, we were to identify the match that proved to be decisive in the Bianconeri's path to the Youth League, as happened with the match against Torino in the league, we can have no doubts: surely the comeback victory away to Benfica, which showed all the quality and spirit of this team. Three points won on a very difficult pitch, against a stellar opponent.
However, the game against Torino and above all the game against Benfica were not the only matches that marked the Bianconeri's season positively, but we can say that the one against the Portuguese was THE match that confirmed how strong this team is. Also and above all from a mental point of view and it's not obvious at this age group and above all by playing so many games within a few days of each other. From 19th August to 12th November, 18 matches were played (without forgetting the breaks from club competitions, shorter than the current one for the World Cup, due to commitments with the respective youth national teams).
THE JUVENTUS UNDER 19 OF COACH MONTERO
Paolo Montero's team is a lot of fun to watch and we hope that 2023 will be the continuation of what we saw in this second part of 2022: a year full of positive ideas, to be transformed into victories on the field. And we can't fail to close this piece with the extraordinary emotions that the return match against PSG gave us, another of those matches with a 1,000 faces, a 1,000 upheavals and unique emotions. Another of those matches that make you love this team, Paolo Montero's team.