What Juventus fans can expect from Rodrigo Bentancur

Article by Steve Graff   Juventus fans are right to be giddy about potential new signing Rodrigo Bentancur. Still only 19 and standing at 1.85 m (6’1” in English/US standard units), he is a central midfielder for Boca Juniors who is a good two-footed ball-winner and passer, who can perform both defensive recoveries and orchestrate the attack on the left and right hand side. He also has elite level dribbling ability in close spaces which allows him to open up space close to goal for others inside the penalty area.   Bentancur possesses a good shot from distance as well. [The midfielder’s one goal came on a long-distance shot.] The midfielder, although from Nueva Helvecia, has never been capped by Uruguay at any level. Since making his professional debut in April 2015, Bentancur has made 32 appearances for Boca Juniors’ first team in all competitions and only once so far in the 2016-17 season. Bentancur has seen his role diminish in the side with the emergence of Andres Cubas, Fernando Zuqui, and the arrival of Sebastian Perez from Atletico Nacional, and Wilmar Barrios from Deportes Tolima. However, Bentancur missed several games in April due to a knee injury which forced manager  Schelotto to search for more depth.   When he has played for his senior team, Bentancur’s ability to play on either side of the central midfield made him quite useful to his manager, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, in his desires to play pressuring, possession football inside the opponents’ half. Schelotto had to switch his side’s overall tactical approach from a possession-based approach to one focused on limiting its opponents’ chances and initiating counterattacks.