Alessio Tacchinardi, former Juventus legend, shared his thoughts live on Tiki Tacco, the YouTube format hosted by Il Bianconero. The ex-midfielder discussed Luciano Spalletti’s impact on the team, his tactical courage, and how the new Juventus has begun to evolve.
Spalletti’s Impact
Tacchinardi did not hold back in his praise for the coach: “The team has changed radically, there’s a real coach now. He had the guts to play Koopmeiners as a wide centre-back and gave the technical reasons behind it – he put him there to break the line and go on to win the match. In their first game, the players looked much more responsible. I liked everything, but in the last five minutes, the game didn’t really continue because Spalletti created a bit of drama and slowed it down.”
He continued: “Coaches like him have already lived through that kind of tension – he’s clear-headed and knows how to manage the team. Spalletti was getting angry with many players, showing that he has real charisma. Someone like him has the résumé and so much to teach, and I think the players have understood that. Even against Sporting he did very well – there’s a difference between one kind of draw and another. We saw the same fighting spirit that we saw under Tudor’s Juve, but that team never really grew in its style of play. This side, beyond spirit, is also showing interesting things. If in Cremona Juve had lost with Koopmeiners in that role, they would have immediately labelled him ‘finished’. Yet he stayed calm and showed it again when he brought on Miretti against Sporting, even though the kid hadn’t played for a long time.”
Mentality and Attitude
“For me, he hasn’t said a wrong word, especially when speaking about pressure,” Tacchinardi said. “He understands that some players aren’t natural fighters. Vlahović is taking charge of Juventus now; he’s become a leader. When I see him scoring, pumping up the crowd, and staying composed in play, he looks transformed. Spalletti has integrated perfectly into the Juventus world and realised that this squad needs to be freed from pressure because it lacks personality.”
Communication and Leadership
“He communicated with the players and made them understand that they’re strong. A new energy has been born. Spalletti is ambitious – he wanted to coach Juve and restart with a glorious club. Now continuity is key. The spirit is there, the game is improving, and I feel the team is following him. With all these ingredients, it’s hard to go wrong. I like this Juventus because they play with great personality. Against Sporting, I stayed until the last second. I like that they finish games feeling angry, showing they care.”
Building for the Future
“This is a season of building, not transition,” he emphasised. “They need to finish in the top four because big money is at stake. Watching Milan–Roma on Sunday, I was impressed by both, so Juve will have to fight hard.”
On Tudor and David
“The first Tudor did well, but the last one struggled – the numbers say he was among the worst. Now we can only analyse a coach who is truly changing the team,” Tacchinardi noted.
Speaking of individuals, he added: “David hasn’t impressed me. Maybe his playing style doesn’t suit being alone up front right now. Against Cremonese, he looked scared. I hope he can raise his level like Openda because we need them – the season is long and difficult. At the moment, Kolo Muani feels like a missed opportunity.”
