Juventus risk throwing away the Scudetto and newspapers suggest this could push out Fabio Capello, Patrick Vieira, Adrian Mutu and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The reigning Italian Champions have been practically assigned the title for the past three months, having enjoyed a 10-point lead just five rounds ago.
However, a run of seven competitive games without a win and five straight draws in Serie A have seen that advantage over Milan hacked down to a meagre three points.
This sudden collapse has also apparently washed away some certainties within the club, such as the future of Coach Capello and the so-called Triade of directors Luciano Moggi, Antonio Giraudo and Roberto Bettega.
With Capello consistently linked with moves to Inter, Real Madrid and the England squad, and an increasingly fraught relationship with the Juventus fans over his treatment of Alessandro Del Piero, it’s by no means certain he’ll stay in Turin next season.
If the tactician does leave, then Ibrahimovic is also set to be shown the door. The Swede excelled in his debut Serie A campaign, scoring 16 goals, but this term he has managed just six and hasn’t hit the back of the net since February 18.
Yet Capello’s insistence on choosing the former Ajax man ahead of fan favourite Del Piero, even when he is struggling with injury, has infuriated the supporters and turned them against Ibrahimovic.
“I am not worried about Zlatan’s form ahead of the World Cup,” insisted Sweden Coach Lars Lagerback. “He is playing in a team that has had a large dip in form over the past few weeks. If we look at the support the strikers receive at the moment, it’s obvious he can’t have an easy job.”
Ibrahimovic was the subject of an approach by Real Madrid in the summer and in the current climate, with a contract renewal talks dragging on, Juventus could re-open negotiations with the Spanish side.
Other players who have disappointed this term are £13.75m summer signing Vieira, also of interest to Real Madrid, and former Chelsea man Mutu.
Lilian Thuram and Pavel Nedved are nearing retirement age and could be removed to freshen up the ageing defence, while Juventus have already made plans with the arrival of out of contract midfielders Cristiano Zanetti and Marco Marchionni from Inter and Parma respectively.
Channel4 Sunday 23 April, 2006
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