Juventus coach Igor Tudor hailed as 'the real phenomenon' of Serie A as Antonio Cassano hails 'exceptional' work as more impressive than Max Allegri at AC Milan

Cassano has delivered a strong verdict on the managerial landscape in Italy, hailing Tudor’s impact at Juventus as more impressive than Allegri’s early success with AC Milan. Juve sit just one point off the top of Serie A and remain the league’s only unbeaten side under Tudor, who took over in March. Cassano argued that despite Juve’s limitations in attack, the Croatian coach has forged an exceptional campaign so far.

Speaking on Viva El Futbol, Cassano said: "Since they're making Allegri look like a phenomenon, the real phenomenon, besides Gasperini, for the work he's doing, is Tudor at Juve, given that last year they didn't want to sign him or renew his contract. The work he's doing is exceptional, Tudor. I start from the assumption that they're the only undefeated team and they're second. Second, then we want to put them fourth because the top three are there and they're one point behind, and that's OK." 

Cassano highlighted the difficulty of keeping Juve competitive without consistent goals from star striker Dusan Vlahovic, who has struggled with form and fitness.

Juve have slipped to fourth in the table, behind Milan, and Napoli and Roma, but recent performances have exposed cracks. Back-to-back league draws and a Champions League stalemate against Borussia Dortmund have slowed Tudor’s momentum. Despite their strong defensive record, Juve have missed chances to claim top spot, most recently in a frustrating draw with Atalanta. The Bianconeri’s inability to finish games could threaten their Scudetto challenge.

Juve now prepare for a crucial clash against AC Milan, where Tudor will face Allegri on Sunday, directly in a match that could define early momentum in the title race. A win would silence critics after recent stalemates and reinforce Cassano’s claim that Tudor is Serie A’s standout coach, a win in this match can also help Juve claim the top spot. But failure to take points could see Juve slip further behind their rivals and intensify scrutiny over the manager’s tactical approach.

While Tudor is being praised, Allegri’s Milan have also impressed, with Christian Pulisic inspiring a 2-1 win over Napoli to send them top of Serie A. Milan’s resurgence under Allegri has kept pressure on Juve, and with Roma also close behind, the battle for the title remains fierce. Cassano, however, made it clear that Tudor’s balancing act at Juventus, managing injuries and a reshaped squad, is in his eyes the more remarkable achievement.