Former Juventus midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi has criticised Jonathan David after the Canadian’s missed penalty in the Bianconeri’s 1–1 draw with Lecce, describing his attempt as “presumptuous” and a decision that “Del Piero would never have made.”
“I played with Del Piero — he never took a penalty like that,” Tacchinardi said. “You can miss, of course, but not like this.”
The Penalty Incident
During Saturday’s clash at the Allianz Stadium, Juventus were awarded a penalty after Kaba’s handball on a cross from David. The ex-Lille striker stepped up to take it himself, opting for an audacious chipped effort down the middle. Lecce goalkeeper Vladimiro Falcone, who had already dived to his right, managed to recover in time and block the weak attempt with his left foot, leaving the home crowd stunned and frustrated.
The Choice and Reaction
Initially, it appeared that Kenan Yildiz would take the spot kick. The Turkish forward even picked up the ball before handing it to David, who has not scored in Serie A since the opening day against Parma. The decision immediately caused tension inside the ground. The Allianz Stadium reacted with loud murmurs of disapproval once fans realised David would be the taker instead of Yildiz.
Their fears proved well-founded: David’s right-footed strike was slow, central, and lacking conviction — more of a side-footed pass than a proper shot. Falcone’s save only deepened the sense of frustration among Juventus supporters, who saw the penalty as a symbol of the Canadian’s struggles since joining the club.
A Difficult Moment
Player ratings reflected the general opinion. David was handed a low score, described as having arrived “like the unshakeable Iceman” but now “a prisoner of his own fears.” The failed penalty summed up his difficult season — one filled with high expectations but few results.
