Gianluigi Buffon had run out of patience. Everybody at Juventus knew the start of the 2015-16 season would be challenging, that growing pains were inevitable after Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente all moved on. But it was never supposed to be this bad. After 10 games, the Bianconeri had just 12 points and sat in the bottom half of the table.
As the players trudged off the pitch at the end of a 1-0 loss away to Sassuolo, Buffon gave it both barrels. "We need to have a profound examination of conscience," he said.