Luciano Spalletti believes that Juventus can still fight for the Serie A title, even though they currently sit seventh in the standings.
The former Italy coach explained on Friday why he accepted a short-term deal to restore form to a struggling team. The 66-year-old was appointed on Thursday until the end of the season, following the dismissal of Igor Tudor, who failed to win in his last eight matches across all competitions.
Juve are six points behind league leaders Napoli — the team Spalletti led to their first title in thirty-three years.
He emphasized that he wouldn’t have signed an eight-month contract if he didn’t believe in the possibility of winning a trophy.
“I hope we can get back into the Scudetto race — why not? We were talking about that yesterday with the players in the locker room,” Spalletti told reporters. “We must aim high because only nine games have been played and twenty-nine remain — that’s a lot. I’ve seen everything in more than thirty years of my career.”
This appointment marks a quick return for Spalletti to club management after leading Italy to the knockout stage of Euro 2024, before being dismissed in June following a poor start to World Cup qualifying.
“My first impressions are fantastic. We all know the history of this club and the huge expectations that come with it. Being part of this is a wonderful feeling,” he said. “The desire to bring this team back to the top is essential. I have great respect for Igor Tudor — I know him and how he works. I’m sure I’ll find a well-trained team.”
Despite the poor start, the new coach has set ambitious goals: “Our targets are high. We must return to the Champions League zone and get back on track because other teams are moving fast,” he said.
Spalletti, who has the historic Napoli title tattooed on his arm, also responded to criticism from disappointed Napoli fans over his decision to accept Juventus’ offer.
“Something extraordinary happened in Naples, thanks to the beauty of the football we played and the success we achieved. I built a special bond with those people,” he said. “This morning I had to do some blood tests and asked the nurse to draw blood from the other arm because I didn’t want to touch the tattoos. Nothing will change for me — I will always have many friends in Naples.”
Spalletti’s first match in charge of Juventus will be on Saturday against Cremonese, who sit eighth in the table.
