Luciano Spalletti has not been confirmed by Juventus, but has been put on hold. This is the meaning of the limited-term trust given to him after the heavy 0-3 defeat suffered at home against Lazio. It continues, but the credit of credibility has been exhausted and the deadline is very close. Spalletti has three, maximum six matches, to take advantage of the last opportunity given to him by the club's leaders and to reverse the negative trend: four league matches and two Europa League, then the break and the moment of accountability will come.
Is he still able to lead the team and, above all, are the players willing to follow him? Only the pitch will provide the only answers that really matter. “Until yesterday I thought I could say yes, today I don’t know,” the coach replied when asked if he had the locker room under control. By addressing the more experienced players, he is indirectly admitting that he lacks authority.
Pioli is the temporary solution, Conte remains in the background
Juventus have already thought about how to fill this void, if the upcoming matches against Rennes, Lecce and Genoa do not provide an immediate response and the team reaches a critical state in the face of Napoli. A "plan B" is on the table, as is the name of a possible replacement, who would be needed to finish the season in the best possible way, if the situation were to become irreversible and dismissal would be the only solution.
Stefano Pioli is considered the ideal profile to stabilize the group and avoid further shocks until the end of the championship. Antonio Conte is the name that arouses the most enthusiasm among the fans, due to his past and what he has done with Napoli in the last two years, with the championship title and the Italian Super Cup. But his candidacy is linked to the future. There are also other coaches on the list who are considered possible for a medium and long-term project: Francesco Farioli, currently on the bench of Porto, and Simone Inzaghi, at Al-Hilal.
Why Juventus has chosen to keep Spalletti
The reason why he was not fired is also related to the economic aspect: replacing him now costs a lot, due to the contract until 2028, renewed last spring, and the salary of 5 million euros net, which with bonuses could reach up to 6 million. This contract has a weight of almost 10 million euros gross on the balance sheet.
Then there is the last chance, which is an ultimatum and was given as another proof of appreciation. On condition that what the pitch shows is different from what has been seen so far. The team that was seen on Sunday evening against Lazio was, as Spalletti himself admitted, a team without ideas, slow on its feet and in its thinking.
The difficult situation has been compounded by the issue of Bremer, who will be fined. The captain accused some teammates of not giving their all and of hiding in the face of the boos of the fans. The matter was clarified in the presence of teammates and the coach, but this is not enough to remove all the doubts that weigh on the technician, who must show that he still has the situation in hand. Pioli is already at the door.
