Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero was full of praise for his former club after their hard-fought 3–2 win over Bodo/Glimt in Norway, describing the result as “an important signal” and singling out Kenan Yildiz for special recognition.
Before the match, Del Piero had warned that it would take both “courage” and “character” to prevail on the difficult synthetic pitch and in freezing conditions. He was proven right, as Juventus showed exactly those qualities to claim a crucial Champions League victory in their most testing away fixture so far.
The first half was a struggle. Juventus looked flat and lacked sharpness, finding themselves behind after Blomberg’s opener. But the introduction of Yildiz after the break completely changed the game. The 20-year-old’s movement and flair turned the momentum, sparking the attacks that led to goals from Openda, McKennie, and finally Jonathan David. “You made the difference,” Del Piero told him warmly after the final whistle.
“Show Courage and Character”
Speaking before kick-off, Del Piero outlined what he believed Juventus needed to do to win:
“Courage. That’s what I want to see, because this will be a very difficult match given the conditions. There’s the cold, possibly snow, and a synthetic pitch they’re not used to. But for Bodo, it’s their home and they know how to make it count. They don’t do many things, but what they do, they do very well. This is the kind of game where you have to show character, when you have to prove a point. The arrival of Spalletti has given an emotional lift, but now it must be turned into results — there are moments when you have to win even when you don’t play well. Tonight is one of those.”
On Spalletti’s line-up choices, he added: “Play forward. You need quick passing, not 18 passes before moving the ball upfield — that gives the opposition time to settle. If you can feed your attacking players early and allow them to take on their man, you have a better chance of hurting them. Maybe Spalletti wanted a solid base to keep things tight at the start, then move the ball faster to the front. Giving defensive solidity in the first 30 minutes is important.”
Del Piero also noted Juventus’ rotation policy: “Juventus still don’t have a fixed starting line-up. When you see Vlahovic, Yildiz, and Thuram out, it’s a show of faith in those who’ve played less. Many scenarios can open up from decisions like that.”
“Winning Is an Important Signal”
After the match, Del Piero reflected on the team’s performance:
“These are small but encouraging signs. Tonight, it was important to win. There was also a bit of luck involved — Juventus could have fallen further behind in the first half, could have been more clinical in the second, and could even have lost before scoring the third goal. Winning is an important signal — it brings points, but also morale, and at this moment that’s crucial. The team needs to find balance: the first half was poor, the second was much better, but even then, they still risked conceding. Juventus make it too easy for opponents to create danger — that must improve.”
“Yildiz Made the Difference”
Turning his attention to the young Turkish star, Del Piero said: “Yildiz brought energy and danger every time he touched the ball. He gave the impression of being constantly threatening — and that’s exactly the impression Juventus must give opponents. In the first half, it was the opposite; they looked vulnerable and uncertain. The whole team improved after the break, but having a player like Yildiz who can beat defenders and make the difference is a huge advantage. He was involved in every goal, and that makes his impact undeniable. It gives everyone belief that they can win.”
He added with a smile: “At half-time, Juventus were out of the Champions League. Now we can celebrate a win that came through character and determination — but there are still big ‘buts’. The team mustn’t forget that.”
“Juventus Must Make Teams Fear Them Again”
Del Piero concluded by analysing what Juventus must work on next:
“It’s a mix of things — personality, character, determination. These must be present every day. It’s not easy to say who’s responsible: we’ve mentioned Yildiz, David, and Openda — players who hadn’t scored in a while — and also Spalletti’s honesty in admitting the mental side needs work. That awareness is positive. You shouldn’t celebrate excessively for a win that maybe should have come in a different way, but at least you’ve got it. Juventus need to learn to dominate the pitch differently, to make opponents fear them again and suffer less. As for words like ‘quality’— I think we’ve said them all,” Del Piero joked.
