Luciano Spalletti stepped into the press room visibly tense after Juventus suffered a bitter 2–1 defeat to Napoli on Monday (Dec 8, 2025). The Italian manager immediately found himself under fire, bombarded with tough questions about his tactical decisions—especially the controversial substitution of Kenan Yildiz, the only Juventus player who managed to score.
With injuries piling up and the squad stretched thin, the atmosphere inside the Juventus dressing room has grown increasingly complicated. The long-term absence of striker Dusan Vlahović has forced Spalletti to rethink his attacking structure, making every selection decision a high-risk gamble.
But when asked why he took off his most influential player so early, the Juventus coach responded sharply—defending his choice and reminding the media that he replaced Yildiz with a player who did not come cheap.
Spalletti’s Defense: “You Asked Me to Rest Him Last Week”
When the inevitable question came—why substitute Yildiz in the 76th minute despite his impressive performance—Spalletti’s expression hardened. He had clearly been anticipating the criticism.
“A week ago, you asked me when I would give Kenan Yildiz a rest,” Spalletti reminded reporters bluntly, his frustration showing.
The former Napoli boss then pointed to the quality of the player he brought on, insisting it was part of a bigger picture.
“Today I put in Lois Openda—someone Juventus paid 45 to 50 million euros for. He must play as well,” Spalletti said firmly.
The comment wasn’t just a defense; it was a reminder of the internal pressure Juventus face with expensive signings who expect significant playing time.
Yildiz as a False Striker: Spalletti Admits the Experiment Flopped
With Vlahović sidelined for three months following surgery, Spalletti was forced into improvisation. Instead of starting Openda or Jonathan David as the central striker, he deployed Yildiz as a false No. 9—hoping to exploit Napoli’s three-man back line.
“The idea was to put a forward between Napoli’s defenders and use an extra midfielder to deal with their man-to-man pressing,” Spalletti explained.
But the plan fell apart quickly.
Yildiz was suffocated throughout the match, constantly marked from behind and given no space to receive or turn.
“Used as a central striker, Kenan always had someone on his back and couldn’t express his natural game,” Spalletti admitted.
Despite his brilliant finish earlier in the match, much of Yildiz’s performance was stifled due to the tactical experiment.
Jonathan David’s Introduction Changed the Game—But Created New Problems
Juventus looked far livelier after Jonathan David came on. The Canadian forward allowed Yildiz to drift back to his more comfortable left-sided position, which instantly made the team more fluid in attack.
But this newfound spark came with a cost.
“It worked better with David, yes,” Spalletti conceded, “but we became too unbalanced and exposed our defense.”
Napoli took full advantage of that disorganization, repeatedly finding gaps between the midfield and defensive lines.
Spalletti also acknowledged that winger Edon Zhegrova—normally a key creative force—was not fully fit to help stabilize the attack.
“Edon is deadly in the final third, but he felt pain in training this week. He needs time to get back to peak condition,” Spalletti said.
Beyond Individual Mistakes: Juventus’ Problems Are Collective
While the spotlight remained on Yildiz’s substitution, Spalletti redirected the conversation toward systemic issues within the squad. The loss to Napoli exposed deeper tactical flaws that go far beyond one player.
“Kenan scored and he can give us a lot,” Spalletti said. “But if the team depends only on moments of magic or sudden inspiration, then he must also increase his overall contribution.”
Spalletti stressed that Juventus must improve their off-the-ball movement, positional discipline, and tempo in buildup—areas that have repeatedly cost them points this season.
“We need to fix our movement across the entire pitch, not only the final pass or what happens inside the box,” he concluded.
Juventus at a Crossroads
The defeat to Napoli leaves Spalletti with major questions heading into the winter stretch of the season. The tactical gamble with Yildiz did not pay off, but the deeper issues lie in a squad struggling to adapt to injuries and new roles.
With pressure mounting from fans, media, and the club’s expectations, Spalletti now faces a crucial challenge: rebuilding Juventus’ identity while keeping results alive.
Whether Openda, David, or Yildiz becomes the focal point of the attack, one thing is clear:
Juventus can no longer rely on isolated moments of brilliance—they need collective improvement, and they need it fast.
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