17 July 2026
On the eve of the first pre-season friendly against FC Basel, Luciano Spalletti met with journalists to take stock of the start of pre-season training and the Juventus Men's First Team's prospects for the 2026/27 season.
The start of pre-season
“The first few days have gone according to a well-structured and organised plan. I’ve found the lads fully aware of what we failed to achieve in last season’s league campaign, but equally aware of our potential and what we can go on to achieve. There have been performances of the very highest standard that have shaped this awareness, as well as others that fell short of what we can afford to do. It is precisely by working on these shortcomings that we must prepare for the coming season. Over these 52 days, my thoughts have constantly been on my own work and where I could have done better. We’ve analysed what we failed to achieve, we’ve got ourselves on the right track, and now we need to step it up a gear. Juventus isn’t built to sit back, we need to push ourselves.”
Juventus’s objectives
“We’re analysing a season in which we didn’t achieve the result we wanted, but it wasn’t a complete failure. We did many things well and with the right approach, but we need to improve certain aspects of our play to maintain the same level of performance. We’re confident we can compete for a place in the Champions League, because that’s what’s expected of us as Juventus. We want to compete for a top-of-the-table finish, but as far as the Scudetto is concerned, we’re still quite a way off at this stage.”
Returning players and new signings
“The players returning from loan are an asset to the club and we must assess them carefully. I’ve found them particularly keen to prove their worth. [Khephren] Thuram is following a personalised training programme and is improving following the injury that sidelined him at the end of last season. We’re welcoming [Kenan] Yildiz back with open arms because he means so much to us: based on our assessment, he’ll rejoin the squad straight away, and we’ll then assess whether a personalised training programme is needed. [Zeki] Celik is a reliable player with a warrior’s spirit; he won’t have any settling-in issues and is a player who is well-known and respected in football. [Jeff] Ekhator has important qualities and all the attributes to become a complete centre-forward: he needs to develop, but in certain areas he’s already very strong, and you can see just how motivated he is to be part of this club.”
My relationship with the club
“I’ve always had a good relationship with all the directors I’ve worked with. When I arrived, there wasn’t much time to build relationships, but there’s always been constant dialogue. I’ve worked with [Frederic] Massara before and know the calibre of his work as a director, whilst I’ve had a relationship based on mutual respect with [Giovanni] Carnevali for years. I have complete confidence that they will add the building blocks we need to build a strong squad capable of achieving significant ambitions. What happens on the pitch and behind the desk can have a huge impact on the quality of our team.”
