In a candid interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio laid out a clear and demanding roadmap for the Bianconeri as they attempt to overturn a 5–2 first-leg defeat against Galatasaray in the Champions League play-off. Between the need to rediscover their identity and the prospect of key mercato moves, Marchisio did not shy away from strong opinions on what the club must do next.
Juventus face a formidable challenge: recovering three goals without conceding, in the middle of a fragile period both mentally and in terms of results. For Marchisio, the first step is not purely tactical or technical, but psychological.
“On a night like this, Juventus must find their soul”
“For a night like this, the ideal man would be Tevez,” Marchisio began. “Spalletti would need the shock that Carlos could bring. I never bet on anything, not even pizzas with friends. It will be very hard to come back from three goals down without conceding, especially given the difficult period Spalletti’s team is going through. But Juventus must believe in it — it’s the Champions League.”
He insisted that the priority goes beyond the scoreline itself. “On this Champions League night, Juventus must find their soul, their depth and their character,” he said. “That matters more than anything else, even than qualification. It’s essential to pick up the path that was broken off against Como. I was at the stadium on Saturday and the fundamental qualities needed to wear the Juventus shirt were missing: personality and understanding of key moments. I didn’t hear anyone shouting to their teammates: ‘Wake up, we’re playing for our season.’ The collapse in the second half in Istanbul and the defeat to Como worried me — it’s a question of mentality.”
“Osimhen would have made the difference”
Marchisio then turned to the attacking department, and in particular to Victor Osimhen, now starring for Galatasaray. “He would definitely have made the difference,” he admitted. “The Osimhen we’re watching at Galatasaray is anything but a striker who went to Turkey to wind down his career. In the first leg he showed incredible ferocity — the kind of ruthlessness that Juventus have often lacked in front of goal.”
New arrivals and Spalletti’s role
When asked which of the new figures at the club he would be sure to keep, Marchisio had no hesitation. “Spalletti,” he replied. “Even though I think Luciano has a lot on his mind right now: he has so much at stake between Galatasaray and Roma. With Spalletti we’ve seen some great performances. It’s just a pity about the mental collapse in the last week.”
Bastoni–Kalulu and the danger of alibis
Marchisio also addressed the controversial Bastoni–Kalulu incident in the Derby d’Italia against Inter, which ended 3–2 for the Nerazzurri. “A single episode cannot be an alibi for a whole season,” he warned. “It can be annoying, of course, but what club hasn’t had to deal with a refereeing or VAR error? A great team does not cling to these things.”
“Personality and quality”: how Juventus should rebuild
Asked what this Juventus side truly needs, Marchisio’s reply was immediate. “Personality and quality — you always need that,” he said. “Qualification for the next Champions League will be fundamental for the transfer market. I don’t believe in revolutions. Big teams, even from my own experience, are built by adding a couple of top players every summer. Two real signings, not seven or eight average ones. Football changes, but the DNA of clubs does not. Juventus have always had a strong core of Italian champions and they must rebuild it.”
He then moved on to potential targets. “Donnarumma seems out of reach to me; he has just moved to Manchester City. Tonali seems more feasible and would be an excellent starting point — but patience will be needed.”
