Juventus Must Build Ruthless Edge, Locatelli Urges In Champions League Push

Manuel Locatelli has called on Juventus to show greater ruthlessness as the club target Champions League qualification and future trophies, with a crucial Serie A meeting against Bologna approaching and Opta data favouring another home success for the Bianconeri at the Allianz Stadium.

Juventus are well placed to return to UEFA’s leading club competition, helped by Como’s defeat against Sassuolo, yet Locatelli stressed that consistent winning habits and stronger mentality in decisive moments are still missing for a team that will finish this campaign without silverware.

Locatelli recently extended a contract with Juventus until 2030, giving supporters long-term clarity over one of the midfield leaders. Since joining the Bianconeri in Serie A, Locatelli has made 288 successful tackles, more than any other player in the league, and has completed 10,660 passes, a figure bettered only by Alessandro Bastoni and Amir Rrahmani.

Despite that individual influence, Locatelli has lifted just one trophy with Juventus, the Coppa Italia in 2023-24, and believes the squad must improve their efficiency when matches reach decisive phases if they want to add more honours in coming seasons, especially against direct rivals at the top of the table.

"Unfortunately, we havent managed to win any trophies this year, but our goal is to qualify for the Champions League, and the important thing is that we have a solid plan," said Locatelli ahead of their clash against Bologna.

"We need to keep winning because thats what everyone expects. The fans, the management, and us too. There are certain crucial moments, and you have to know how to win certain matches, whatever the cost. Over the years, weve certainly been lacking something in those situations, that ruthlessness that allows you to achieve the victories that ultimately lead to trophies."

Juventus enter the Bologna fixture on a strong domestic run, unbeaten in six Serie A matches with four wins and two draws, collecting 14 points during that spell and recording four clean sheets, a level of defensive stability that only Napoli have surpassed in the same period, with 16 league points.

The Bianconeri also have a long unbeaten home sequence against Bologna in Serie A, stretching to 13 matches at the Allianz Stadium with nine victories and four draws, although three of the last four have ended level, including both most recent meetings, hinting at tighter contests despite Juventus’ overall dominance in this fixture.

Bologna’s wider record against Juventus underlines that challenge, as the club have not celebrated a Serie A win over the Bianconeri since February 2011, when Marco Di Vaio scored twice in a 2-0 success at the Olimpico Grande Torino, and since then Bologna have collected nine draws and 18 defeats, a 27-game winless run against one opponent that already stands as their longest in the competition.

Juventus Bologna Serie A stakes and team form

Bologna remain firmly involved in the pursuit of European qualification, yet defeat against Juventus with six matches left could damage those ambitions, although Vincenzo Italiano’s team travel with impressive away form after four consecutive league victories on the road and at least one goal scored in each of their last 14 Serie A away fixtures.

History offers Bologna a target, as the club could achieve at least five successive away league wins for only the second time, matching a sequence between December 1963 and January 1964 during the campaign that brought the historic Scudetto under Fulvio Bernardini, adding an extra layer of motivation for this visit to Turin.

On the Juventus bench, Luciano Spalletti has produced an average of 1.96 points per Serie A match this season, a higher rate than predecessor Igor Tudor, who averaged 1.50 points, and since Spalletti took charge only Inter, with 57 points, have gained more in the league than Juventus, who have earned 45 points from 23 games.

Juventus Bologna Serie A players to watch

Attacking responsibility for Juventus may again fall on Jeremie Boga, who has found consistent scoring form by registering four goals in the last six Serie A appearances, and Boga has already contributed directly to four top-flight goals against Bologna, with two goals and two assists, while only against Hellas Verona does Boga have more involvements, with three goals and three assists.

For Bologna, Federico Bernardeschi offers a familiar storyline, as the winger played 134 Serie A matches for Juventus between 2017 and 2022, scoring eight goals and supplying 14 assists in that period, but against his former club Bernardeschi has so far recorded only one league assist, delivered in January 2017 while representing Fiorentina.

Juventus Bologna Serie A prediction and Opta odds

Opta’s model leans towards another Juventus success, reflecting long-term dominance and recent stability, although Bologna’s away streak suggests a competitive contest, and the probability values underline the Bianconeri’s status as favourites in front of home supporters.

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Below is a breakdown of the Opta win probabilities for the Juventus versus Bologna Serie A match, presented in a simple format for comparison between home, away and draw outcomes.

Locatelli’s defensive data further highlights importance to Juventus’ structure, with 288 tackles and 10,660 successful passes since joining the club in Serie A, achievements that rank the midfielder among leading performers in Italy’s top division and make Locatelli a central figure as Juventus chase Champions League qualification and attempt to sharpen mentality in decisive domestic fixtures.