Luciano Spalletti already has Juventus players talking about Serie A title challenge but new coach warns players they must 'make the difference' to turn around rough form

Spalletti has succeeded Tudor as Juventus head coach after the club decided to act following a poor run of form. Tudor was dismissed after Juventus went winless in eight consecutive matches, a stretch that included five straight draws and three defeats, leaving the club frustrated and far from their ambitions. The Croatian had initially taken over last season as an interim replacement for Thiago Motta and was later made permanent when Juventus failed to secure Antonio Conte or Gian Piero Gasperini. Despite a promising start to the 2025-26 campaign, which saw Juventus win their first three games including a thrilling 4-3 victory over Inter in the Derby d’Italia, the team’s momentum quickly faded. The board initially stood by Tudor, as parting ways with him was financially complicated since the club was still paying Motta’s severance and hiring another coach risked breaching UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations.

Spalletti will now be in charge of turning around Juventus, who currently sit seventh in the Serie A table. The experienced coach’s most recent club role was with Napoli, where he famously guided the team to the Scudetto in the 2022-23 season, ending their 33-year wait for the title. Now leading Juventus, the experienced manager is determined to replicate that success in Turin and guide the club back to the pinnacle of Italian football.

Speaking at his unveiling, Spaletti believes that Juventus must be ambitious enough to believe they can fight for the title, saying: “I hope we can get back into the title race, why not? That's what we were talking about in the dressing room with the players. Our ambitions must be as high as possible, and the highest ambition right now is to get back into the Scudetto race.”

Using his vast wealth of coaching experience and knowledge Spaletti believes he can inspire his players to fight hard for the title and then see where they end up when he said “We're only on the ninth matchday, even if I'm almost at the end because I'm an old man. I'll try to put even more effort into it and then we'll see what we've managed to achieve. I have absolute respect for the value of these players.”

One of the major reasons behind Tudor’s dismissal was Juventus’ failure to score in four consecutive matches, despite boasting a star-studded attack and often fielding two strikers. Spalletti addressed the issue directly, stressing the importance of unity and clarity on the pitch. He said: “Goals are fundamental because they are what win matches. Attacking football is another important quality, but the essential thing is to be a team and a group that understands what we need to do on the pitch in various situations. That will benefit us in every way.”

Earlier this week, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic urged his teammates to take a hard look at themselves, pointing out that the club has gone through three coaching changes in just a year and a half. The Serbian forward emphasised that such instability points to deeper issues within the team rather than being the fault of a single individual, saying: “We’ve changed three coaches in a year and a half. We need to take a look in the mirror and see where we’re going wrong. I don’t think it’s fair to blame one person; we’re all to blame.”

Spalletti agreed with Vlahovic’s remarks, emphasising that players are the key component in making the difference. Spalletti said: “Vlahovic's words? It's only right that players realise what they are giving and giving back to a club that believes in them. I know very well that I depend a lot on the players; it's their quality that makes the difference.”

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