Juventus is restarting from a disappointing sixth-place finish in last season's Serie A season, preparing for a season in which they will add the Europa League title to their league and Coppa Italia titles. This comes at a delicate time in their history: they have now gone six seasons without winning a Scudetto, a period during which the Bianconeri have "only" added two Coppa Italia trophies and one Supercoppa Italiana to their trophy cabinet. Yet the restart, heading into 2026-2027, isn't based on a clean slate: Luciano Spalletti remains at the helm, and he spoke clearly in the opening press conference of the new season.
«"I found the players aware of the goals we missed last season, but also of the possibilities and potential we have," Spalletti said of the Juventus squad, which began its summer training camp on Monday, July 13. "We must prepare for the season by working on the weaknesses, given that some performances were top-notch, allowing us to have the confidence I mentioned earlier. But others fell short of what we can afford.".
Although confirmed by the club, Spalletti has placed himself at the center of the critical issues facing his Juventus in 2025-2026. "I have to coach better than in the past," the Tuscan coach stated. "Good examples arise from behavior that goes beyond words. But we're all very convinced and organized; everyone agrees on the path to follow and the things to do. Our squad needs to be strengthened, reinforced, and even completed in some areas. We're all aware of this, but the timing of the World Cup complicates everything a bit. Let's just say we're in the transfer market cooling-off period; there's still work to be done, but there's also time to do it.".
It's inevitable to then focus on the realistic goals of the new Juventus. This is a point Spalletti has made no secret of: "We absolutely want to compete for a top spot in the table, and to do that we need to make sure we don't make any mistakes along the way. As for the Scudetto, we're quite far away, but we're confident we can compete for the Champions League if we work hard. We didn't make it last year, but it wasn't a bad season. We did many things well, but we need to be more consistent in terms of quality and performance. The transfer market isn't just about buying and selling. We can also give new opportunities to players coming from different experiences. They're also our assets. There's still a lot of work to do, but I'm relaxed. I'm confident it will be done.".
Spalletti then focused on some Juventus individuals, including players old and new, as well as managers. "I've already worked with Massara, I know his quality. Not with Carnevali, but we've known each other and respected each other for many years," he assured. Then, on the team's stars: "We're awaiting Yildiz with open arms; he's a very important player for us. He needed some rest, and he'll be in a position to return immediately, thanks in part to our top-notch staff. Thuram, on the other hand, has undergone a differentiated training program and is improving on the issues that hampered him at the end of last season. With Vlahovic, I did what was within my remit: the technical evaluations. The financial ones, however, are not my responsibility. I haven't spoken to him since the end of the season, but he knows what I think. Our directors' offices are always open, just ring the bell. Signing Celik was a good idea; he's reliable and has the character of a warrior. He won't have any problems fitting in, given his experience." Ekhator, on the other hand, is a boy with great potential. His characteristics are excellent and so is his motivation, but he needs to be able to grow calmly. At his age, time is needed.".
