26 December 2015
2015 is a year that will live long in the hearts and minds of Juventus fans. A fourth successive Scudetto, tenth Coppa Italia and seventh Italian Super Cup take pride of place in the trophy cabinet, while the team’s sensational run to the Champions League final in Berlin and resounding recovery following a slow start to 2015/16 have displayed the incredible spirit that characterises those wearing the black and white stripes.
But while the collective has rightly earned a multitude of plaudits for its magnificent efforts, who are the individuals that have excelled from a statistical point of view? And are there any surprises?
Juventus.com analysed each player’s individual statistics in all competitions during the calendar year, based on the following categories: 1) appearances 2) completed passes 3) total shots 4) goals scored 5) recoveries 6) saves 7) crosses delivered 8) goal scoring percentage.
Here’s what emerged:
It has been a tremendous 2015 for Gianluigi Buffon, who kept 15 clean sheets in Serie A and celebrated his 20-year anniversary as a professional in Italy’s top flight during the calendar year.
The captain, who has made 50 saves so far in 2015/16, also passed Alessandro Del Piero’s record of the most minutes played for Juventus and now sits behind the former Bianconeri frontman in terms of all-time club appearances, having leapfrogged Gaetano Scirea’s milestone of 552 back in November.
Claudio Marchisio’s return to the heart of the Bianconeri midfield is undoubtedly an important factor behind the club’s Serie A resurgence following a slow start to the current campaign.
While “resurgence” is the word used above, perhaps “recovery” would be more appropriate in the midfielder’s case, given his immense ability to break up opposition attacks before setting team-mates back on the offensive, witnessed on no less than 343 occasions throughout 2015.
An even clearer indicator of Marchisio’s impact on the side can be found when analysing the team’s record in all competitions since his recent return from injury: 11 wins, four draws and one solitary defeat. Key.
A crucial member of the Bianconeri’s four consecutive-Scudetto winning rearguards, Leonardo Bonucci remains a vital cog in the defensive unit now chasing a fifth straight title triumph.
After topping last season’s appearance charts, Bonucci continues to represent one of Massimiliano Allegri’s most reliable performers, making 23 starts and one substitute appearance in the current campaign, during which he has registered 898 successful passes (more than any other player in the first-team squad).
This year, alongside 2014 and 2010, is the centre-back’s joint most prolific return in terms of goals (three), with fundamental strikes against Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio spurring Juventus on to victory on each occasion.
Sitting alongside former strike partner Carlos Tevez with 14 strikes in 2015 is Alvaro Morata.
The current term has seen the Spanish hitman pick up where he left off in the Champions League, maintaining his hot form in Europe’s premier club competition with strikes against Manchester City and Sevilla, while he has also weighed in with five assists, placing him just two shy of his 2014/15 total with less than half the campaign played.
Opposition defences take note. Paul Pogba has goals in his boots.
Two in 2012, eight in 2013, six in 2014 and 10 in 2015 show that the Frenchman is gaining increasing sharpness in the final third, largely thanks to his ability to work his way into shooting positions from which he has pulled the trigger on no less than 116 occasions in 2015, the highest amount of shots recorded by a Juventus player this calendar year.
But it isn’t just his eye for goal that makes Pogba such an important figure in the black and white stripes. Since August, he has made 26 tackles, performed 120 recoveries and created 23 opportunities for his team-mates, trailing only Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado in the latter category.
Two goals in as many games (a great Derby Della Mole free-kick and wonderful burst into the box against Carpi) provide the greatest indication that the Frenchman is returning to his lethal best in and around the penalty area, and he will be striving to carry this goalscoring form into the New Year as the Bianconeri step up their quest for both domestic and European success.
A sensational introduction to Dybala’s career in the black and white stripes has seen him net 10 goals in 24 appearances in all competitions, becoming the club’s leading goalscorer of 2015/16 to date.
While his scintillating strikes have rightfully stolen the headlines, there is plenty more to the Argentine’s game than just terrorising opposition goalkeepers with his predatory instincts.
In the year of 2015, he delivered a total of 120 crosses, showcasing another string to his bow that is no doubt music to the ears of Mandzukic, Morata and Simone Zaza.
As far as 2015/16 itself is concerned, Paulo is ranked as the second highest Bianconeri player in terms of shots struck in Serie A games, one behind Pogba’s 51, while he tops the leaderboard for efforts on target (17) and chances created (34).
Since his summer arrival from Atletico Madrid, Mandzukic’s goalscoring prowess has seen him capture the hearts of the Bianconeri faithful.
No member of the first-team squad is more efficient than the Croat when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, with nine goals in 18 appearances the vital statistics that illustrate his midas touch in the box.
Often praised by Massimiliano Allegri for his spirit and determination, versatile midfielder Simone Padoin has backed up the manager’s words with statistics.
His precision in the pass, which has seen him top the 2015 completed deliveries category, first came to prominence during the Bianconeri’s Champions League group game against Malmo in 2014, when 100 per cent of his attempted passes reached their intended target.
Teamwork makes the dream work...
Eighty-one points in the year of 2015, a figure only PSG (96), Barcelona (91) and Real Madrid (86) can better from Europe’s top five leagues.
A thirteen-game unbeaten Serie A run, stretching from January to April.
Serie A’s best defence in 2015 (31 conceded) and 15 clean sheets (25 in all competitions).
