Luciano Spalletti

In a move that’s sent shockwaves through Serie A, Juventus have pulled off a managerial coup that’s equal parts desperate and daring. Just days after sacking Igor Tudor amid a humiliating eight-game winless streak, the Old Lady has officially unveiled Luciano Spalletti as their new boss, signing him to a contract running until June 30, 2026, with an automatic extension to the 2026/27 season if they snag Champions League qualification. The documents were greenlit in a whirlwind post-Tudor purge, capping off intense talks that wrapped up in Turin this week.

For Bianconeri faithful, it’s a lifeline laced with nostalgia. Spalletti, the 66-year-old tactical wizard who ended Napoli’s 33-year Serie A drought in 2023, steps into a cauldron of chaos. Juventus sit perilously adrift, 12 points behind leaders Napoli after a brutal run that included losses to Como, Real Madrid, and Lazio in eight dizzying days. Tudor’s exit on Monday was as swift as it was inevitable, leaving reserve coach Massimo Brambilla to steer a gritty 3-1 win over Udinese on Wednesday, a brief gasp of oxygen before the storm.

But here’s the rub: Spalletti’s honeymoon will be brutally short. Training kicks off Friday, as the former Italy boss, axed this summer after a disastrous World Cup qualifying flop against Norway, dives headfirst into the rebuild. His first test? A Serie A trip to Cremonese on Saturday, followed by a Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon just three days later. Oh, and that Inter Milan derby? It’s looming on Sunday, a potential powder keg where Spalletti’s old employers could pour salt in the wound.

Spalletti’s arrival isn’t without its quirks. He’ll link up with his son Federico, already a scout at the club, adding a family touch to the turmoil. His résumé screams pedigree: Two stints at Roma, a Champions League final with Inter, and that Scudetto miracle in Naples. Yet whispers of a deeper rift, Tudor’s clashes with directors over transfers and style, hint at the minefield ahead. Spalletti, ever the philosopher, quipped earlier this week: “Juventus is a great club with a great history. Everyone would gladly coach Juventus.”

Club legend Gianluigi Buffon, no stranger to glory and grit, backed the hire: “Luciano is the right profile for any big club that wants to remain ambitious.” But with Juventus teetering in the Champions League elimination spots and fans baying for blood, the pressure is volcanic. Can Spalletti’s fluid 4-3-3 wizardry, think creative overloads and relentless pressing, reignite a squad starved of identity.