The highly anticipated day arrived at Allianz Stadium as Damien Comolli was officially presented to the press as the new General Manager of Juventus. The French executive, with a rich background in top European clubs, steps into a pivotal role at a time when Juventus is eager to reclaim its place among the elite in Italy and Europe.
A New Era Begins
Comolli opened the press conference with a personal touch:
“I have started studying Italian. I am delighted to be here; it is a privilege to be the General Manager. One of the greatest clubs in the world, I grew up watching this club for many reasons, the great players who played here, and I have always been drawn to winning organizations. Juve has always been a model. As a scout, I was at the Delle Alpi. I appreciated the culture of Juventus.”
Confirmations and Structure
On the coaching front, Comolli left no room for speculation:
“I confirm that Tudor will be the coach for the next season, beyond the Club World Cup.”
He also clarified the role of Giorgio Chiellini:
“With Giorgio, we talked about what his role will be. He will also be Technical Director, and we will work closely on various aspects of the club, both technically and commercially. We were part of the same committee at UEFA; he will be our representative at the Lega Calcio and UEFA. I am passionate about the youth sector; we will move from one area to another, and we have collaborated well together. We have created a committee on football strategy that will discuss youth and the first team, and Giorgio will be part of this. He will not deal with the transfer market or training.”
Regarding the club’s management structure, Comolli explained:
“I would like to appoint a Sporting Director who will deal with transfers and management and will be involved in the transfer market, with an eye on the youth sector, reporting to me. We will have a Technical Director who will also report to me. These are two roles, and we have already discussed forming the best structure. I have the right person in mind; it is a process, but we do not want to rush. Once the structure is decided, we will decide on the people.”
Market Moves and Player Updates
Comolli addressed key player situations, including Kolo Muani:
“We have reached an agreement with PSG to extend Kolo Muani’s loan. I spoke with the player last week. He has decided to play the Club World Cup with us and will stay. We have spoken with PSG for the World Cup, and afterwards, I am optimistic about reaching an agreement for the entire season. PSG has not closed the door to the loan, and the player is inclined.”
On Dusan Vlahovic, he was candid:
“I spoke with Dusan last week. The player should return soon, and I want to talk to him to understand what he has in mind. He is a top player; something did not work, I realize it is not enough, I do not know whose fault it is. I need to talk to the player and understand; there is no doubt he is a top player. We need to understand his intentions.”
Vision and Methodology
Comolli emphasised his approach to building a winning culture:
“The first time I met the ownership, I was asked what I wanted to achieve. I said I wanted to win. I cannot guarantee that we will win, but I can guarantee that I will do everything to win. When you look at the Juve shirt, the only way is to try to win. Trying to win will be my obsession, and this is already part of the club’s culture.”
He also discussed the importance of data and rational decision-making:
“Data analysis has been part of my career; I have worked with data for 25 years. I have always thought that when people turn to me, they expect me to bring this experience, and I think it will be the same at Juventus. We are paid to create emotions; my first job, three times a week, is to ensure our community reaches the highest level of emotions, it is my constant thought in the morning. At the same time, as decision-makers, we must not be guided by emotions but be rational. On August 1, 2025, it will be my 33rd year in football, and I have never encountered a more rational approach than using data. We will use data in various areas; it will assist us in player selection, measuring our team’s strength compared to others, and defining our strategy. We will collect data on everything; it can also help prevent injuries and manage the business. Artificial intelligence can be of great help.”
Youth and Identity
Comolli highlighted his ambition for the club’s youth and women’s sectors:
“I wanted to create a culture and methodology from the youth teams and also in the women’s team. Creating an identity that the club community can recognize is important. It comes through victories, playing style, and methodologies. It is not easy, but it is not impossible. The Ajax model is not among my favorites; we can seek inspiration from different countries and even other sports. It is something I would like to apply.”
He also praised the women’s team:
“I congratulate the results of this season. What is missing? Winning the Champions League. I have a passion for women’s football; I have tried to develop this area as well.”
The “Moneyball” Approach
Addressing the notion of “Moneyball” in football, Comolli said:
“I do not know if it has been romanticized. I know what we have done. The model is about making a very irrational, schizophrenic industry more rational. My obsession, when I started using data—Mr. Moneyball is a friend of mine, I met him and we talked. My frustration was seeing so many bad decisions in scouting. I wondered: how can we be more precise? The Moneyball principle has been very useful and can help in the market. My obsession is how to improve, and to do that you need a competitive advantage, and for that, I use data.”
The Road Ahead
Comolli concluded with his commitment to both Juventus and Italian football:
“I have set myself two goals: to win and to fulfill 100% of the potential. In every country where I have been, I have always told myself that I had to help football develop in the country where I am. I have been part of several committees. The first goal is for Juve to succeed, but then also to contribute to Italian football. If Juventus succeeds, Juve can give a lot to Italian football. I am not here to teach anything, but if I can contribute, I want to do it.”
On the squad and the transfer market, he was transparent yet cautious:
“I am very open and I tell you the truth. But there is one thing I am not open about, and that is the market. We have discussed it with the coach, with Giorgio, and with Maurizio. We have an idea, the squad change, we are considering Igor’s approach, who achieved two points per game and this brought him to fourth place. If the team was not good, it would not have reached that level of points. What I can say is that there will certainly be adjustments but not radical transformations.”
