Fresh details have emerged regarding the breakdown in the relationship between Luciano Spalletti and outgoing chief executive Damien Comolli, following the announcement that Giovanni Carnevali will take over as Juventus’s new CEO, ratified today by an extraordinary board meeting.
According to the Corriere della Sera, the working relationship between Spalletti and Comolli became increasingly strained over the course of the season, with the two men reportedly clashing directly in front of club president John Elkann over the failed pursuit of goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Spalletti is understood to hold Comolli largely responsible for what he viewed as a disastrous 2025 transfer window — one spent chasing Randal Kolo Muani before ultimately settling for the underwhelming signings of Lois Openda and Jonathan David.
Tensions reportedly worsened further in January, when Spalletti’s repeated requests for attacking reinforcements went unmet, and he was instead forced to watch talks over Dušan Vlahović’s contract renewal collapse entirely.
A Relationship Beyond Repair
The picture painted by the Corriere is one of a manager increasingly frustrated by a sporting director he felt was not delivering the tools needed to compete. With both men having to coexist for an entire season despite mounting friction, the cumulative tension is said to have played a significant role in John Elkann’s decision to part ways with Comolli after just one year in the role — a decision now formalised with Carnevali set to take the reins.
For Spalletti, the change of leadership at boardroom level represents an opportunity for a genuine reset — provided his new sporting director can deliver the kind of summer business that was so visibly lacking under his predecessor.
