Fabrizio Ravanelli has never been a man to soften his opinions for the sake of politeness — and his appearance on Tuttosport’s Aperimercato YouTube show on Tuesday evening was an emphatic reminder of why. Penna Bianca came out fighting on virtually every topic put to him, from Vlahović to the goalkeeper search, from Emegha to Yıldız’s potential as the next Del Piero. Here is everything he said.
On the Current Juventus Situation: “This Has Never Happened to Me”
Ravanelli set the tone immediately with a frank assessment of the pre-season picture. “Juventus without new faces — apart from Ekhator — this has simply never happened to me. This is a difficult and strange situation. Many players are away because of the World Cup, and patience is needed when you are working in moments of difficulty like this. When I arrived at Juventus we won the Scudetto again after nine years with a new management of Moggi, Giraudo, and Bettega. You need determination and the willingness to put in hard work to rebuild. Those are the fundamental weapons. I believe Juventus simply cannot afford to continue with a trend like the one from last season.”
On Vlahović: “It Does Not Appeal to Me at All — His Attitude Has Not Been Right”
On the possibility of Vlahović returning to the club, Ravanelli was devastating in his clarity. “Honestly, it is something that does not appeal to me at all, for many reasons. I do not think he is a player suited to Spalletti’s style of play. He has technical difficulties and physical problems. He always seems to have difficulty with the empathy and connection with his teammates on the pitch. I think Juventus needs something new to create the right chemistry. Juventus needs players who love this club and who want to be here at all costs. His attitude has not pleased me — not as a supporter and not as an ambassador of Juventus. I do not think bringing him back would be positive.”
He continued with a withering roll call: “If you analyse it — at Bayern he would not play, at City he would not play, at Real and Barcelona he would not play, at Inter he would not play. So where does he play? He could have thought about repaying Juventus for everything the club gave him.”
And then came the Dybala reference that will resonate most deeply with supporters. “Many players, in my view, do a mea culpa for having left Juventus. I believe that if Dybala could go back he would never leave — I told him that at the time. He was captain, he was a symbol, he had the supporters. Juventus offered Vlahović €6.5 million and he did not accept. So before bringing him back, I would think very carefully. Juventus needs players who arrive running. When I received the call from Boniperti I had the possibility of going to Milan — but when Juventus call, it is very difficult to go elsewhere.”
On the Attack: Emegha the Dream, Pellegrino the Reality
When it came to identifying the attackers Juventus should actually be pursuing, Ravanelli was at his most expansive. His dream pairing? Emegha alongside Ferran Torres. “I have two names that would form a great attack: Ferran Torres and Emegha. Emegha is 1.95 metres, he could be the new Osimhen — he presses even from the corner flags, he has great strength and attacks space. I think he would become the crowd’s favourite immediately. Ferran plays very good football and would be perfect for Spalletti’s 4-2-3-1. With Yıldız and Conceiçao they would be an incredible attacking unit.”
His opinion on Balogun was equally direct: “Balogun would be a mistake in the mould of Openda. I would not take him.” On Kolo Muani: “Not quite yet at Juventus level — but he can become that.” Pellegrino, however, received an unambiguous endorsement: “I think he can be a real help to Juventus. His characteristics fit Juventus’s game perfectly, with Yıldız and Conceiçao crossing into the area.”
On the Goalkeeper: “Please, Take Unai Simón”
Ravanelli’s goalkeeping recommendation was delivered with characteristic force. “Please, let us sign Unai Simón — I have been saying this for two years. He is 29 years old. Dibu? Yes, but he is 34. Simón played an extraordinary match against France — like an extra defender with three incredible interventions. I was genuinely struck by his concentration and attention even without the ball. He was always in the right position. That is a quality very few players have.”
On Yıldız: “The Potential Heir to Del Piero — But Alex Is Unique”
The warmth with which Ravanelli spoke about Kenan Yıldız was unmistakable. When asked whether the young Turkish international would have played in his Juventus side, the former striker’s answer was playfully honest: “No — he would have been on the bench.” But what followed was far more meaningful. “I love him dearly. He represents Juventus in the best possible way and I hope the club continues to build around him. He has all the characteristics to become the new Del Piero. He is not yet there because Alex is unique — but he can get close, both technically and in terms of character. He has been given enormous responsibility and has carried it with distinction.”
The Final Rapid Fire
Asked a series of quick-fire questions, Ravanelli’s answers were characteristically definitive. Kolo Muani or Vlahović? “Kolo.” Dibu or Vicario? “Dibu.” Who wins the World Cup? “Spain.” Which young Italian player most resembles him? “Pio Esposito.” Yıldız’s biggest need? “Time.” Most likely Juventus trophy: Scudetto or Europa League? “Europa League.” Best companion in his Juventus career? “Baggio.” Most underrated? “Jugovic.” Between Kolehosho and Ekhator, if the former were to arrive? “Kolehosho.”
