Juventus legends Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Capello have been vocal in their endorsements of Luciano Spalletti to take over as head coach following the sacking of Igor Tudor. The ex-Italy and Napoli coach is reportedly in talks to with the Serie A side, who are in a desperate scramble to salvage their season amid the eight-game winless run that resulted in the Croatian's dismissal.
Juventus part ways with Tudor after winless streak
Juventus have not won a match since September 13, an enthralling encounter against rivals Inter in Serie A which finished 4-3 at the Allianz Stadium courtesy of a stoppage time winner from Vasilije Adzic. It was their third consecutive win in the league, a brilliant start to the season with the team showing collective spirit. However, things have unravelled rather dramatically for the Old Lady.
Juventus have since played eight games and have failed to register a win in each of those. In fact, in the previous four games, they haven't even managed to score a goal, with the 1-0 defeat to Lazio at the weekend forcing Juve to part ways with Tudor, just months after he had signed a contract extension until June 2027.
In search of a replacement, Spalletti quickly emerged as the favourite, with another former Italy coach, Roberto Mancini, also being considered by the Turin club, according to reports. With Spalletti seemingly the top choice, Capello and Buffon believe his arrival will provide a boost to the team.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportFormer Juventus boss Capello speaks on Tudor's successor
Speaking to , Capello didn't want to blame Tudor for Juve's struggles entirely, before giving his vote of confidence to Luciano Spalletti as the right man to become the next head coach.
"Tudor pays for everyone. Eight games without a win are too many for Juventus, but the responsibility isn't solely the manager's," said the legendary former coach. "The original sin was the club's half-hearted faith in Tudor. Last summer, several coaches were sought, only to then confirm Igor and extend his contract. The players sniff out these situations and exploit them. The real question, however, is: was Tudor the team built or someone else?"
On Spalletti, he added: "A coach of value and experience. He's already led big clubs and won. After the disappointment against Italy, he'll be eager for revenge. What better way to start again than with a renowned team like Juventus? Spalletti has the right charisma to lift the Bianconeri out of a difficult moment. Paradoxically, the most positive aspect is the league table: Juve are only six points behind leaders Napoli and Roma. [Raffaele] Palladino? He did well with Monza and Fiorentina, but Juventus are on a higher level."
Buffon backs Spalletti to end Juve's misery
Buffon, Juve's second-highest appearance maker after Alessandro Del Piero, also expressed his faith in Spalletti. "For me, Luciano is the right profile for any big club that wants to remain ambitious," the iconic goalkeeper said at a ceremony on Monday. "With him, you never lose too much. He's a football man, a great person, and a great coach. The best around in terms of experience, charisma, and authority. He's the right man for ambitious clubs that want to continue to be so. It's a shame to see him still without a bench."
The duo worked closely at the Italy national team, with Spalletti's stint as the Azzurri head coach briefly overlapping with Buffon's role as the head of national team delegation.
Getty ImagesJuventus to meet Spalletti on Tuesday
Juventus director Damien Comolli is reportedly set to meet the Scudetto-winning former Napoli manager Spalletti on Tuesday to discuss taking over from Tudor. According to multiple Italian outlets, including and , Spalletti is expected to be offered a deal until the end of the season, with an option to extend if Juventus secure Champions League qualification. Spalletti has already turned down offers from Saudi Arabia and Turkish clubs, though Mancini and Palladino remain backup options.
In the meantime, Massimiliano Brambilla, who was coaching the Juve Next Gen side, will take over the head coach role in the interim. He will be in charge for the game against Udinese on Wednesday.