Its the eve of the new Serie A season and Juventus are preparing to host Parma at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. On Saturday, head coach Igor Tudor spoke in his traditional pre-match press conference, reflecting on the team’s preparations, the transfer market, and the expectations for the year ahead.
The Return of Competitive Football
“These are beautiful emotions, I like it when there’s something at stake. I don’t enjoy long preparations or friendly games. The team is ready, we want to start well. The squad has trained properly and the feelings are positive,” said Tudor as he looked ahead to the opening fixture.
On Koopmeiners and Leadership
The Croatian coach praised Teun Koopmeiners, who arrived this summer:
“He played very well in Bergamo, he is important for us and will have a great season, even if there has already been too much talk about him.”
On the question of the captaincy, Tudor was clear:
“I’m happy that Manuel Locatelli is here with us, he is the captain. We start from the captain. His deputy will be Bremer, then there are Yildiz, Thuram, and Gatti. This is our leadership group and these are the hierarchies.”
Bremer and the Defence
Speaking about Gleison Bremer, Tudor said:
“We know his value both on and off the pitch. Everything is going according to plan. He’s at a good enough level to play tomorrow. Everyone will need a couple of games to get back up to speed, because pre-season was a bit short, but that’s fine. We will deliver a strong performance tomorrow.”
The Attack and Jonathan David
On his forward line, Tudor explained:
“All the attackers have moved well. There has been a little lack of freshness during preparations, even though we won two good games. I expect more energy and even more improvement. We need to attack with as many players as possible, but equally without losing balance and leaving ourselves open to counter-attacks. With time, the connections and understanding between players will get better. We always need to stay sharp and improve.”
He reserved praise for new signing Jonathan David:
“He is a good player, very focused and disciplined, and that’s what I like in my strikers: when you tell him something, he does it. He moves well in the box and is always dangerous. I’m happy with him, he’s a good guy and a real professional.”
Penalty Takers
Asked about who will be on penalty duty, Tudor responded light-heartedly:
“If Locatelli scored that goal, then he still deserves it (laughs). It’s not a big issue, we have many good players who can take penalties. I’m happy Locatelli took that responsibility. Yildiz, Chico, David, Koopmeiners, Cambiaso—they can all take them.”
On Coaches and the League
When asked about Serie A managers, Tudor said:
“It is up to you journalists to create the rankings of coaches. This year I see many strong coaches in the league. I confirm that players are always more important, but managers can make a difference too. I expect a tough championship for every team. I won’t make predictions—the ball is round and you never know what can happen.”
On the Transfer Market
Inevitably, Tudor was asked about the future of Juventus’ attack targets, such as Randal Kolo Muani:
“Am I happy with the squad? Yes. The transfer market is open and I trust the club. The management knows my thoughts. It has been a complicated market, but I focus on training and coaching my players. I am very happy with this squad, a group of good professionals and good men. Then we’ll see what happens.”
Objectives and Expectations
“This team hasn’t finished first or second for five years, and that isn’t good. Whether I say we aim for first, second, third, or eighth, in the end it’s just words. People like to hear it, but it changes nothing. These discussions about favourites and underdogs make me laugh—it’s all smoke. We need to focus on our work. This is the communication era, I understand, but for Juventus it’s never about just qualifying for the Champions League. The goal is always bigger, and then we’ll see what happens.”
Asked about whether it was harder to have a short preparation or work with the market still open, he replied:
“In life you can’t like everything, you have to accept it. Even when you arrive at Juventus or Real Madrid, it’s never perfect. Some things you like, others not, but you accept them and work. If everything were perfect it would be a film.”
On Critics and Underdogs
“The first matchday is unknown for everyone because it’s based on friendlies, which don’t show real values. People tell me that Juventus are only good enough for fourth, fifth, or sixth place. That can only serve as extra motivation.”
Transfers and Vlahovic
Regarding Dusan Vlahovic and a possible move for Kolo Muani, Tudor said:
“I don’t know what will happen. I simply answer: I don’t know. Whatever happens, I accept. I trust the management to find the best solution for the club. I hope and believe the team has improved in every area. With my staff, we judge honestly on where we can improve and where not—but opinions change week to week. A team is a living organism, it never stays the same for ten months. There are no fixed percentages. You need to adapt, work on weaknesses, and not neglect what already works.”
The Juventus DNA
“If someone has been a player here, it helps. But from one to ten, playing here counts for two, ability for eight. You can be the biggest Juventus player ever, but if you’re mediocre at your job, the rest means nothing. Juventus DNA is a great thing, but only if you can do your work well.”
Other Players
On João Mario:
“He is strong offensively, but needs to improve in other areas. It will be a different championship, and he has to work on that.”
On Fabio Miretti, currently injured:
“Fabio impressed me, but then he got injured. In two or three days he will start running again. He needs to grow in some areas, but he can be a very useful player. If he makes himself available, he can become a serious player. It depends on him.”
And finally, when asked what he most wants to see from Juventus in the first game, Tudor was clear:
“I want to see solidity.”
