Juventus have been a dominant side in Italy over the years. They went on to win the Serie A for ten consecutive years. However, this fairy tale story was put to an end by Inter Milan. AC Milan were the next team to lift the Scudetto and then Napoli came to win their first title after 30 years. Juventus also had their financial problems and that restricted them from buying players in the summer. The Turin-based club also saw a point reduction last season and were unable to play in Europe this season.
Allegri and his men have made a positive start in the current campaign. They are sitting just behind Inter Milan in the league table. Juventus saw a couple of players getting banned. As a result, the bench strength of the team has lowered. However, there are a couple of players who have got a chance to play for the first team. Hans Nicolussi, a graduate of the academy is getting his chance to play for his favourite club. He came through the ranks in 2018 but had to wait for his time to get into the first team. He is yet to become a regular but has shown signs of promise. Let’s look at his stats that show why Allegri can give his 23-year-old youngster more chances in the first team.
Marshalling the midfield
Hans Nicolussi plays in the middle of the park and has played for the likes of Parma and Salernitana. This season, this 23-year-old Italian midfielder has only featured in three matches but has given some decent performances.
Nicolussi played for Salernitana in the 2022-23 season and went on to make 12 appearances in the Serie A. The youngster covers a lot of areas in the middle of the park and won more than 50% of his defensive and aerial duels. He gave up some silly fouls in defensive areas but those were mostly played for a side that played defensively.
In the 2023-24 season, the young Italian has given some solid defensive performances. He has won 83% of his defensive duels. Other than this, he makes more than 7.5 interceptions per 90 minutes. Against Monza, the player made eight recoveries and two came in the attacking half.
Moving the ball
Moving the ball with the feet is the primary task for any midfielder. Hans Nicolussi has a decent ability to look for players in the final third and managed to register an assist this season. The progressive passes chart shows that Nicolussi has attempted three passes into the penalty box and that too in a similar area.
Hans Nicolussi is making a name for himself in Italy. He is creating goals and looks solid in the defence. Allegri and his team have a lengthy season and this 23-year-old will look to impact more in the opportunities that he gets in the future.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
