FIRST DEFEAT PAIN: LUCIANO SPALLETTI ENDS UNBEATEN RUN; CRITIQUES JUVE'S TIMIDITY AND CROSS DEFENSE
Luciano Spalletti confessed Juventus were "passengers" in the 2-1 loss to Napoli, attributing the first defeat of his reign to poor ball control and tactical rigidity in midfield.
Luciano Spalletti admitted Juventus was just along for the ride in their loss to Napoli. He explained what went wrong with his bold choices for the starting lineup.
This game marked Spalletti’s first loss since he took over as Juventus coach from Igor Tudor. It ended his streak of four wins and three draws across Serie A, the Champions League, and Coppa Italia matches.
“It’s true, Napoli pushed harder from the beginning,” Spalletti told DAZN Italia. We were too hesitant moving the ball and lost it easily. That made us chase them.
“They are in good form, so if you don’t hold onto the ball, they make you run all over the field with their skill and strength.”
Spalletti talked about Juventus' starting lineup surprises against Napoli.
With Dusan Vlahovic injured, the Juventus coach surprised everyone by not starting either Jonathan David or Lois Openda. Instead, he put Kenan Yildiz in as a false 9.
The Turkish player scored a quick goal to tie the game. But Rasmus Hojlund scored twice, giving Napoli a 2-1 win.
“I think Yildiz and Conceicao can play those roles because they pass the ball well,” Spalletti noted. Locatelli sat back too far and didn’t stay where I wanted him in midfield. The two forwards didn’t move enough, and we got stuck in the middle. We didn’t pass the ball fast enough or create enough space in midfield.”
He subbed David in for Juan Cabal at halftime, which did bring some change.
“We played better in the second half when we matched them man for man. But we still had trouble with Napoli’s pace and their ability to counterattack. Even though we matched them, they still created problems.
“After we scored and tied the match, we had control. But we were too predictable and didn’t push hard enough as a team. We didn’t try to do anything different, so we really need to improve quickly, or it’s going to be tough.”
“We’ve had some good moments, but now we need to look at what's happening.
Spalletti had mentioned this game as important for his Juventus team, matching up against Italy’s current champions. The two squads did not seem to be on the same footing.
“We can play better than we did. We gave away so many passes. If you don’t control the game, you let the other team control you.”
Juventus has a weakness on defence, as they often struggle with crosses to the far post. This was a problem under the previous coach, Tudor, as well.
“Napoli blocks to create space, and we fell for it every time. We needed to communicate better. We also made it too easy for them to cross the ball. These are all split-second decisions.”
It was sure to be an emotional night for Spalletti, as it was his first game back at Stadio Maradona since helping Napoli win the Scudetto in 2023.
“Of course, when the fans sing those songs that I know so well, it’s great. Only the Stadio Maradona can create an atmosphere like that.”
LUCIANO SPALLETTI OFFICIALLY EXTENDS JUVENTUS TENURE UNTIL 2028 AFTER IMPRESSIVE INTERIM SPELL
Juventus coach Spalletti extends his contract until 2028. Get the latest on the Serie A top-four race and match news.
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti just signed a new two-year deal with the club, capping off a promising six months at the helm.
He broke the news to his players first, right before Friday’s training session. Not long after, Juventus posted a video of Spalletti sharing the update. “I wanted you to hear it from me before anyone else,” he told the squad. “We’ve decided to extend my contract by another two years. I wanted to tell you before the news got out. Honestly, the road ahead looks tough, but I’m convinced we’ll tackle it together. With your character and your fight, we can turn every challenge into something bigger.”
Spalletti took charge back in October, stepping in after Juventus sacked Igor Tudor. Tudor’s departure came after three straight losses and a long, frustrating stretch without a win. At the time, Juventus handed Spalletti an eight-month contract. The word was, he'd get an automatic two-year extension if the team qualified for the Champions League.
Right now, Juventus sits just outside the Champions League spots, one point back from fourth-place Como, with seven games left in the season.
“When I joined seven months ago, the club gave me this short contract,” Spalletti explained. “The idea was simple: let’s give it some time, get to know each other, then decide at the end of the season if we want to keep going.”
Back then, Juventus sat in seventh place, fighting just to stay in Europe. In the Champions League, they were already scrambling to avoid elimination.
Things have improved since Spalletti took over. Juventus has picked up 17 wins, six losses, and eight draws in 31 matches. They managed to push through to the Champions League playoffs, though Galatasaray knocked them out.
Club CEO Damien Comolli praised Spalletti’s impact. “Since joining us, Luciano’s made a real difference on the pitch, around the club, and among our fans,” Comolli said. “He’s exactly the kind of leader we need. His ambitious football matches what we all expect from Juventus, and he stands for what our club’s all about. So, we want to keep going with him. We believe stability and continuity are key to reaching our goals.”
Juventus hasn’t lifted the Serie A trophy since 2020, when they wrapped up a run of nine straight titles.
Before arriving in Turin, Spalletti led Napoli to the Serie A title in 2023, then took charge of Italy’s national team. That stint didn’t go well; he lost his job last June after a shaky start in World Cup qualifying. Now, he’s got another shot to lead a powerhouse club.
NAPOLI LEAPFROG AC MILAN INTO SECOND PLACE WITH VITAL 1-0 SAN SIRO VICTORY
Napoli beat AC Milan 1-0 to move into second place. Discover how Politano and McTominay are chasing Inter for the title.
Napoli snatched a late 1-0 win over AC Milan at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, keeping their hopes for a second straight Serie A title very much alive. Scott McTominay played the entire match, and with Napoli sitting third before kickoff, their victory bumped them ahead of Milan into second place, just seven points behind Inter. That gap was a daunting 11 points a mere three weeks ago, but Napoli's five-game winning streak, combined with Inter dropping points, has changed the picture fast. With seven matches left, McTominay and the team aren’t giving up on defending their scudetto.
Early in the game, McTominay nearly had Napoli fans holding their breath when he tried a bicycle kick, a move that’s become one of his signatures. This time, though, he couldn't duplicate his Hampden magic from last November against Denmark. The ball skipped wide.
The game felt tense and looked to be heading for a draw until the 79th minute. That’s when Napoli broke through with a quick attack down the left. McTominay didn’t get the goal, but his movement from a Mathias Olivera cross caused chaos in the Milan box. Matteo Politano, coming on as a sub, pounced at the far post and put in a tidy left-footed finish.
Billy Gilmour, McTominay’s Scotland teammate, didn’t get on the pitch. He’d started in three of his last four Serie A appearances, but this time watched from the bench.
Napoli’s next game takes them away to Parma, who sit in 13th. Inter travelled to play Como later that same day. Talking about the title race, manager Antonio Conte said, “Scudetto? It's tough. Inter is really strong and is having an incredible season. We can’t slip up; we need them to make mistakes, and not just once. Honestly, we have to be realistic… Inter deserves to lead. Still, we’ve won the Supercoppa and sit second. We should be pretty happy. With all our injuries and problems, this season could easily have gone off the rails.”
Around the rest of Serie A, Lennon Miller, who didn’t see action for Scotland over the international break, came off the bench for Udinese in the 65th minute of their scoreless draw with Como. On Sunday, Lewis Ferguson saw red for the first time in Italy after picking up two yellows in thirty seconds late in Bologna’s 2-1 win at Cremonese. Che Adams found the net for Torino in their 1-0 victory over Pisa.
