Fragile. That's the best word to describe Juventus as they were taken apart by Atletico Madrid in their final pre-season friendly last week.
Their former striker Alvaro Morata scored a hat-trick against them as the Spanish side won 4-0, exposing deep problems within the core of Max Allegri's team.
The issues Juventus are enduring are difficult to solve unless the club sanctions further investment in the playing squad. The thrashing by Atletico was a slap in the face for the players and it will only heighten fears for this squad after losing stalwarts Paulo Dybala and Giorgio Chiellini this summer.
Two years have passed since their last Scudetto triumph, with rivals Inter and AC Milan since creeping up on them with their own Serie A wins. Both Milan outfits have a much stronger structure than Juventus, who are at risk of being left behind.
This team is too bad to be true and it needs serious reinforcement in the market - the problems are very serious and it is unclear whether Juventus will get the backing they need to bring in more players.
Fitness issues
The whole team appears tired and the drills chosen by muscle coach Simone Folletti seem to be causing problems. Even Angel Di Maria, a dynamic and lean player, suffered in the Atletico match which ended with only one Juventus shot on goal. None of the players have shown that they are even at 80 per cent of the way to full fitness.
The one saving grace from the friendly was that it was played behind closed doors at Juventus' training centre, so they at least avoided the deafening whistles from fans at full-time.
Nonetheless, the problems remain and now a lot of concentration will be needed to avoid a similar collapse in their first Serie A match against Sassuolo next week.
Allegri is very worried because the struggles of his team cannot be attributed exclusively to jet lag from their pre-season tour. There are many problems and he will have to try to solve them with the help of the transfer market.
While selling Adrien Rabiot to Manchester United may solve one problem in the form of getting one disruptive influence off their books, there is still a profound need for added quality in the squad.
Filip Kostic is certainly the best low cost solution who could open up new tactical scenarios, such as 4-2-3-1 as an alternative to 4-3-3. The Serbian winger knows Dusan Vlahovic very well and will be able to help him get through his current goal drought.
Vlahovic is currently isolated from the rest of the team. The striker, who Juventus signed for £62million from Fiorentina in January, is often crowded out by opposition defenders.
Against Atletico Madrid he got nervous and his performance suffered as a result. To be at his best he needs more service.
Leonardo Bonucci loses his touch
The defender who mocked English fans by talking about 'pastasciutta' ('eat more pasta') after Italy won Euro 2020 appears to have eaten too much pasta himself.
In pre-season, Bonucci has been slow and even clumsy with the ball, which has led to the whole defence struggling. His long range passes now seem to be a distant memory and he appears to be heading towards the sunset of his career as a top player.
Younger centre-backs Federico Gatti and Bremer have both been encouraging and Juventus may be better off without Bonucci as a starter.
The 35-year-old was always helped by playing alongside Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini but both have now left Turin - essentially breaking the spell that made Bonucci a top level player.
Bonucci and Bremer do have the potential to be one of the best centre-back partnerships in Serie A, but that will ultimately depend on the fitness and stamina of the Juve captain.
Last season Bonucci spent time on the sidelines with various muscle injuries and fans believe that he is well past his physical best.
Other defensive shortcomings
While most top clubs use their defence to start attacks, Juventus use their backline exclusively to create a wall in front of opponents.
Conceding four goals against Atletico showed that there are many tactical problems that need to be resolved before their season opener.
One of the main issues is that the defence sits too low and is crowded in front of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. Juventus suffer against teams who run at them - a huge problem considering the athleticism of many teams playing in Europe.
Alex Sandro and Danilo don't have the strength to create crosses and assists. Every pass they make is in a straight line or back to Bonucci. It is as if every other avenue is blocked or they are unable to communicate with other areas of pitch.
Alex Sandro was a particular weak link in that woeful loss to Atletico. He played like a supporter who had been asked to head down to the pitch from the stands.
Throughout the match, he was given a torrid time by Atletico's Nahuel Molina. He showed that he has real concentration problems and that left side looks vulnerable for Juventus.
Mattia De Sciglio and Luca Pellegrini would certainly have offered better attacking performances if they had started and it should not be out of the question that Allegri changes up his full-backs soon.
Moise Kean has gone from elegant to awkward
Moise Kean is at serious risk of becoming the new bad boy of Italian football and taking Mario Balotelli's crown. Kean was not included in the squad against Atletico by Allegri after showing up late for the pre-match meeting, a decision endorsed by the club.
It seems strange that the forward does not want to impress after several poor performances last season. All of Kean's attitudes are childish and his behaviour is immature, which risks harming the whole Juventus squad.
Hopes were high for the 22-year-old after he scored twice in the friendly against Barcelona but his actions before the Atletico game were embarrassing. He has gone from being an elegant player to know looking awkward for Juventus.
Juventus are desperately looking for an understudy to Vlahovic, but Kean has missed yet another opportunity in his career to prove he is a top player and has instead forced the club to return to the transfer market.