“After the break, Juventus will restart at full speed. Full speed.” He says it twice, and the room applauds — because the room has the same hunger he does. Not a rich Champions League placing but a trophy. Giovanni Carnevali at the Festival dello Sport in Trento does not limit himself to answering questions: he pulls the supporters along with him, invites them to make themselves heard at the stadium, enjoys the natural connection with the popolo bianconero that has placed its trust in him. Without making promises, he reassures everyone: step by step, Juventus will return to greatness.
“The Capital Increase, the €66 Million Loss, and What We Expect in January”
“We’ll assess the situation and the opportunities. We have a strong ownership that has once again demonstrated its attachment to Juventus. I’d love to buy three great champions — but we can’t. So we need to strengthen the squad operating with intelligence and seizing opportunities. It’s not even guaranteed that an illustrious sale will be needed in June to fund the transfer activity. We need to use ingenuity and find a way to make Juventus stronger technically and more solid economically.”
“The Sassuolo Defeat Makes Me Want to Roll on the Floor — But This Team Is Competitive”
On the season’s opening months: “We could have done better — but judgements are distorted by the Sassuolo defeat. When I think about it, I want to roll on the floor: we cannot concede goals like those. But you learn from mistakes, and I’m certain Juventus are a competitive team.”
Competitive for fourth or for winning? “Juventus must make sporting and financial results add up together. Sustainability and competitiveness must go hand in hand. The Champions League money is very important, especially because we have signed the settlement agreement with UEFA and have certain constraints to respect. So fourth place is fundamental — and far from guaranteed, given that four go to the Champions League and at least six or eight clubs are targeting that objective. But I want to win. Juventus’s history speaks clearly. And I remember what Boniperti said: ‘Winning isn’t important — it’s the only thing that counts.'”
“The Europa League Is Difficult — but Juventus Wants to Win It”
“At the start of the season Spalletti kept saying he missed the Champions League and I understood him. But now he doesn’t say it any more. He’s focused on the pitch and on the squad’s progress. The Europa League is difficult — playing on Thursdays complicates things — but Juventus wants to win that trophy. As it does the others. We are ambitious. And humble: humility is a fundamental weapon. I am always in contact with the squad, I travel away with the players, I speak with them. The atmosphere is very good — everyone is pulling in the same direction. And they are all aware of what it means to wear that beautiful shirt. That’s why I’m confident.”
“Chelsea Tried to Steal Alajbegović — We Nearly Had the Same Problem as Inter With Palestra”
The revelation that will generate the most discussion from outside the strictly sporting context concerned the summer’s most expensive individual signing. “We took a young player of enormous talent in Alajbegović — Chelsea tried to take him from us with an extremely high offer shortly before he signed. We risked ending up like Inter with Palestra — it’s normal, because Italian clubs are not competitive beyond a certain figure.” The comparison is pointed: Inter lost Palestra to a Premier League club’s superior financial offer in a late window scramble. Juventus narrowly avoided the same fate with Alajbegović.
“Spalletti Is Not in Discussion — He Was Never in Discussion. But I’m Not Defending Him: I’m Simply Restating My Esteem”
On questions about the manager’s confidence in his own squad: “Spalletti is an exceptional teacher of football. It’s a fortune for Juventus to have a manager like him — with his style of play we will be able to reduce the gap from the stronger clubs and compete to the end. Spalletti is not in discussion. He never has been. After the Sassuolo defeat I did not defend him: I simply restated my esteem for him.”
“Conte Is a Friend — but We Never Considered Replacing Spalletti With Him”
“Antonio is a friend — we have known each other for many years and his qualities are beyond question. But we never considered the idea of having him take over from Spalletti. I’m obviously aware of the extremely close relationship that binds Conte to Juventus supporters — but that’s a different matter entirely.”
“Del Piero as President? Social Media Noise — Like the Ginevra Elkann Story”
The institutional development that has dominated the week received its most authoritative denial yet. “I heard about it too — social media suggestions. Anyone can say something and it becomes news. But it isn’t news. I’m a friend of Alessandro’s — but as far as I know there’s nothing in it. Just uncontrolled rumours — like the Ginevra Elkann one.” The denial is comprehensive: both names, framed as equivalent social media inventions with no institutional foundation.
“Palmisani Is Important — but We Haven’t Spoken to Frosinone Yet”
On the goalkeeper target who has been the most widely discussed Italian scouting story of the month: “We haven’t spoken to Frosinone yet — but he’s a goalkeeper with an important future. And he’s Italian — a fundamental aspect, because we want to expand the group of Italians in the squad. Palmisani needs to be given time to grow.” The confirmation of genuine interest, carefully calibrated: no formal approach yet, no timeline, but personal warmth and explicit acknowledgement that the Italian identity dimension is inseparable from the pursuit.
“The Most Beautiful Juventus I Remember? The One That Won the Champions League in Rome”
The closing flourish was entirely personal and entirely Carnevali. “The one that won the Champions League in Rome. Ravanelli’s incredible goal, the quality of Del Piero, the leadership of Vialli. An immense squad.” And in his eyes as he says it, the desire to build one just like it burns with genuine and unconcealed intensity.
