Giorgio Chiellini spoke candidly about Juventus’ current phase and Luciano Spalletti’s impact during a gala evening in Rome hosted by Club Urbe Bianconera. The former captain, now a club executive, reflected on the team’s evolution, the manager’s methods, and the state of Italian football.
“The history of Juventus is made up of great winning cycles and of down cycles. Unfortunately, right now, we’re in one of those periods when we haven’t been able to win for a while,” Chiellini said. “We hope to get back there as soon as possible. This year will certainly be difficult — that doesn’t mean we won’t try everything to reach the top. Our ambition has to remain high, but there also needs to be balance, both from us and from you in the media, in how expectations and pressure are managed.”
A Changing Football Landscape
Chiellini then addressed the differences between today’s Juventus and the dominant teams of the past decades. “There’s a desire from everyone to do well,” he explained. “The world has changed, and so has football. That Juventus of ten, twenty, even thirty years ago that could dominate world football, compete with Real Madrid, and make huge investments — sadly, those days are gone. Italian football has changed, and we can’t make comparisons with the past.”
He continued by paying tribute to club legends in attendance. “We have to acknowledge what Juventus used to be. Here with us are two ‘Angels’ — Peruzzi and Di Livio — with whom I was lucky to play and share many moments. They, like many others here, represent those values. We need to restart from there, from our core values and from your support. The team will soon be back winning trophies.”
The Coppa Italia and Jonathan David
Chiellini also discussed the recent Coppa Italia match against Udinese and the form of forward Jonathan David. “David’s goal was beautiful — it’s a shame it was disallowed. But it was offside!” he said with a smile. “You know, it’s very difficult for players coming to Juventus from within Italy, and even more so for those arriving from abroad. Only a few manage to adapt quickly and make an immediate impact.”
Vlahovic’s Injury and David’s Opportunity
On the subject of Dusan Vlahovic’s injury, Chiellini expressed both concern and confidence. “Vlahovic’s injury is a heavy blow, and we’re really sorry — he’s about to undergo surgery. But every injury also opens up opportunities for others. In this case, we hope it allows David to find more space, to feel less pressure, and to play with greater freedom, as he showed with his fine goal last night. There will certainly be tough moments ahead, but the team is in good shape and yesterday’s performance gave everyone a bit more confidence.”
Spalletti’s Work and the Upcoming Napoli Clash
Finally, the former defender praised coach Spalletti’s dedication. “Luciano’s career speaks for itself. I never had the good fortune to be coached by him, but after I retired, we built a good relationship when I visited the national team. At Juventus, he’s doing great work on the details, paying huge attention to every session, and reviving players who previously had little space. He’s a man on a mission — he lives for Juventus, he lives at the training ground, just as he did in Naples. He’s giving everything, as we all are, to try to change this course.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s match, he added, “Now we face Napoli. I don’t know how he’ll be received there, honestly. For us, it’s an important and tough game — but they all are.”
