5 managers who have a point to prove in the 2021-22 season
The 2021-22 season kicks off in just over a month. Several clubs have already made big moves this summer, with management seemingly a key focus area.
While we are blessed to see several top-class managers assert their dominance in modern football, there are some who still have a point to prove. Some have come into their respective clubs with high expectations, the likes of which they are yet to meet.
On that note, let's take a look at five managers who have a point to prove in the 2021-22 season.
#5 Pep Guardiola - Manchester City
Admittedly a surprise inclusion in the list, Pep Guardiola has amazed viewers ever since taking charge of Manchester City in the summer of 2016.
Blessed with droves of world-class players, it is fair to say that Guardiola has transformed Manchester City into one of the best clubs in the world. Boasting unbelievable squad depth, City almost seem to have two full-strength squads at their disposal.
Guardiola has been a hugely successful manager without a doubt. His record speaks for itself, having already won three Premier League titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup in his five years at the Etihad. However, the biggest prize of them all, the UEFA Champions League has eluded him since he took over the reins of the Manchester outfit.
That City are a wealthy club is a well-known fact. Guardiola has never had a shortage of financial backing; the manager has always been given the freedom to sign the players he wants to build the system he visualizes. However, it must be said that a side with no scarcity of resources has been unsuccessful in Europe's biggest competition.
City have been knocked out in the past by the likes of Lyon, Monaco and Tottenham Hotspur. Pep did come close though; he guided his team to the Champions League final last season. However, there was no fairytale ending for him and City as they were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in the summit clash.
With a squad valued over $1 billion and an exciting transfer window upcoming, Pep certainly has a point to prove in the upcoming season.
#4 Massimiliano Allegri - Juventus
Massimiliano Allegri was announced as Juventus' new manager in May 2021, replacing Andrea Pirlo.
Allegri is no stranger to the black and white of Juventus. He previously managed the Old Lady for five years between 2014 and 2019. His appointment indicates serious intent from the Juventus board to turn things around and restore the side's former glory.
Allegri enjoyed an outstanding first tenure as a manager in Turin, winning the league title in all five seasons he was in charge of Juventus. He also won the Coppa Italia four consecutive times, establishing himself as one of the best football managers in Juventus' history. He also has a win percentage of 70.48%, the highest by any Juventus manager in history.
Since Allegri departed in 2019, Juventus have looked like a shadow of their former selves. They failed to retain the Serie A title this year, finishing fourth in the table. The downfall of Juventus over just one year is clear to see. The club went from winning the league to scraping Champions League qualification on the final day of the season.
Undoubtedly a world-class manager, we will have to wait and see if Allegri's second spell with the Turin outfit will be as successful as the first.