THE FEBRUARY CURSE: WHY JUVENTUS AND LUCIANO SPALLETTI SUFFER THE SAME ANNUAL WINTER COLLAPSE
Juventus is in crisis: Discover why the February meltdown is back as Como secures a historic double over Spalletti’s tired squad.
Here we go again, Juventus and their annual February meltdown. At this point, it’s practically tradition. We’ve seen it under Max Allegri, it rolled on with Thiago Motta, and now Luciano Spalletti’s caught the bug too.
In my business, they say three times makes a trend.
Well, here it is, and I can’t stand it.
Saturday at the Allianz Stadium just piled on more misery. The Bianconeri went behind early, thanks in part to another big mistake from Michele Di Gregorio, and then just sort of stumbled through the rest of the match, looking half-asleep. Como, missing Nico Paz, barely broke a sweat as they wrapped up their 2-0 win with half an hour left. Honestly, they looked miles better than Spalletti’s crew.
Add this to Como’s win over Juve back in October, the one that pretty much put Igor Tudor on the chopping block, and you’ve got a bit of history. Como hasn’t beaten Juventus twice in a season since the 1950s. Now they have.
So yeah, the February crash-out is alive and well.
Look anywhere around Juventus right now; it’s just bad news. They’ve let in 15 goals over their last five games. Zero wins in that stretch. They’re not winning; they’re not even playing well. Outside of a brief spark against Inter and a little fight after falling behind to Galatasaray, whatever energy Spalletti tried to inject into this team has burned out faster than one of Sarri’s cigarettes.
They look dead on their feet. Tired, flat, and just completely out of gas. The squad’s thin; Spalletti leans on the same guys every week, so maybe it’s not so shocking they’re falling apart as the season drags on.
Still, it’s hard to believe how fast it’s all gone south.
Not just this game, but the whole vibe. A month ago, people were saying Juve was playing some of the best football in Serie A. Now? Nobody knows what to call what we’ve seen these last few weeks.
Even the bright spots, few as they are, seem dull. Kenan Yildiz, for example, has carried this team for so long, but you can see the toll it’s taken. He’s just a kid, after all. Como figured it out: shut down Yildiz, and the rest of the team can’t do much. They fouled him over and over six times in just over 80 minutes, and honestly, it felt like more. Como never let him breathe, and as a result, Juventus barely made a peep all afternoon.
Yeah, the shot stats say the teams were even, but that’s just numbers. Juve finished with 0.70 xG, and a third of that came from a Loïs Openda shot that Como’s keeper saved without breaking a sweat. That pretty much says it all: Juventus offered nothing close to the kind of pressure they were showing just a few weeks back.
Spalletti talked before the match about wanting a response after what happened in Istanbul. Instead, we got more of the same stuff we saw in the second half against Galatasaray.
You don’t need to be a calcio expert to see this isn’t what he had in mind.
Maybe it’s a blessing Spalletti’s bald, because games like this would have him tearing his hair out if he had any left.
Honestly, I want off this ride. It’s miserable. It was ugly in 2024, it was ugly last season, and it’s still ugly now.
Until Juventus shows us something different, this is just who they are when February rolls around.
PULISIC HITS BACK: MILAN STAR SHUTS DOWN 2026 GOAL DROUGHT CONCERNS
"I haven't stopped dreaming." Christian Pulisic addresses his goal drought and the frustration of missing out on the Gold Cup squad.
Christian Pulisic isn’t holding back. When critics started questioning his recent form and worried about his 2026 goal drought, he shut them down, calling those concerns “bad questions". The AC Milan forward, fresh off his Time magazine cover, still trusts his ability to step up for the USMNT as they gear up to co-host the World Cup.
All eyes are on him.
The U.S. is set to share the stage for the 2026 World Cup, and Pulisic is set to become the go-to guy for the national team. Landing on the cover of Time isn’t something soccer stars from America get every day, and it just shows how big a deal he’s become, especially after proving himself in Europe. But right as people are finally giving him mainstream recognition, he’s under the microscope for not putting up his usual numbers in front of the goal.
He’s not fazed by the dip.
When Time asked about his goal drought and how he’s handling not scoring for club or country this year, Pulisic didn’t mince words; he’s not sweating it. “I plan on scoring goals. Such bad questions. I’m not concerned about it, man.” You can hear the confidence in his voice.
Dealing with the noise
Pulisic admits this stretch feels extra tough. Missing out on last June’s Gold Cup squad hurt him, mostly because he’s used to shutting people up with his play. “Normally, I just go out there and score, and that quiets everybody. Right now, I’m in my offseason, so everyone’s talking, and I can’t do anything about it. That’s what’s frustrating.”
For Pulisic, attacking is everything. “Going at the goal, creating attacks, that’s what I live for. Sure, you have to do all the other stuff: defend, run, whatever. That’s fine. But what really gives me joy is finding ways to score and actually scoring.”
Chasing the dream
The U.S. opens their World Cup run against Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium on June 12, and Pulisic will lead the team right here at home. He doesn’t like making big public predictions, but at 27, he keeps that childhood dream alive. “That’s just not how I work. But I’ll lie in bed and imagine myself holding the World Cup trophy. I did that when I was a kid, and I haven’t stopped. You need to believe. Why not?”
WHY DID LAUTARO MARTINEZ REJECT A CAREER-DEFINING MOVE TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
"I love Milan." Read why 28-year-old Lautaro Martinez rejected Manchester United and Arsenal to stay at the San Siro in 2026.
Inter captain Lautaro Martinez has clearly put an end to any speculation about leaving San Siro, making it known that he has no plans to entertain offers from Europe’s top clubs. Even with regular links to teams like Barcelona, Manchester United, and Arsenal, the Argentine forward is fully committed to what’s happening in Milan.
Martinez has been quite vocal about his dedication to Inter amid constant rumours about his future. Despite frequent connections to some of the biggest clubs on the continent, he insists there’s no reason for him to move on from the current Serie A champions.
Media reports have often tied him to Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, and Manchester United. But through various transfer windows, Martinez has consistently pushed back on the idea of leaving Inter. At 28, he remains a key figure in the team’s current setup and has stepped up as the club’s captain and on-field leader.
In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Martinez expressed his loyalty to Inter’s project. He made it clear that he isn’t interested in changing clubs despite the speculation.
He said, “No, because I am faithful to the Inter project, I feel at home here. My family is happy, we have a restaurant in the city, and we love Milan. From the first day, everyone treated me in a way I didn’t think possible. I achieved so many personal and team goals here.”
Success on the pitch seems to deepen his connection to the club. Inter recently secured another league title and continues to chase trophies, including the Coppa Italia. On an individual level, Martinez is eyeing the Capocannoniere prize as Serie A’s top scorer. His steady performances underline why he’s considered one of the most reliable forwards in European football.
Since his move from Racing Club in 2018, Martinez has become the defining presence in Inter’s modern lineup. With 173 goals over 372 competitive games, it’s clear how vital he is to the team.
Looking ahead, the club sees Martinez as a central piece in their long-term plans. His leadership and scoring ability make him hard to replace. Settled both on and off the field in Milan, he seems set on continuing his story at the Giuseppe Meazza, despite ongoing interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
_1777371632.webp)
