The 2024-2025 season saw Juventus go through a period of uncertainty under the leadership of Luciano Spalletti, who faced criticism from both fans and the media. After the 2-0 defeat against Genoa, the 59-year-old coach decided to end the championship with an early retirement, leaving coach Giovanni Carnevali to publicly complain. The result of this decision was a balance of 50 games in which the team achieved 26 wins, 14 draws and 10 defeats, for a total of 92 points, with an average of 1.84 points per game.
To better understand Spalletti's performance, it is useful to compare it with that of the coaches who have led the Old Lady since 2020, the year in which Juventus won the championship during the pandemic. Since then, five coaches have followed one another: Andrea Pirlo, Massimiliano Allegri, Luciano Spalletti, Thiago Motta and Igor Tudor. Pirlo, with 52 games and an average of 2.15 points per game, is the most effective of all. Allegri and Spalletti both averaged 1.84 points, but Allegri played 149 games, while Spalletti only managed 50. Motta recorded 1.67 points per game in 42 matches, while Tudor finished his stint with 1.58 points in 24 games.
The comparison highlights that, although Spalletti has achieved similar results to Allegri in terms of points average, his short tenure and limited number of games make him less effective than Pirlo, who has demonstrated an ability to lead the team to consistent victories. Furthermore, Juventus have won two Italian Cups and one Italian Super Cup since 2020, but have failed to regain the league title, a sign that the nine-year winning cycle ended with the 2020 championship win.
Criticism of Spalletti also focuses on tactical management and the ability to motivate players. Although the points average is not below that of Allegri, the team has shown a certain instability, with frequent draws and defeats against opponents considered inferior. This has fueled discussions on social media and in sports publications, with many fans calling for a new direction for the team.
Looking to the future, Juventus will have to decide whether to continue with Spalletti or look for a new coach to get the team back on track. The club has already started evaluating candidates who can bring back the stability and competitiveness necessary to return to the top of Italian football. In the meantime, Spalletti will have to demonstrate that he can reverse the trend and lead the team towards more consistent results, in order to meet the expectations of fans, managers and club stakeholders.