41-year-old Fernando Llorente, a former Juventus striker, offered a raw and direct view of the old Lady's situation ahead of the match against Napoli. In an interview with TuttoSport, Llorente underlined the importance of the team retreat that Juve just held at the J Hotel, defining it as a necessary moment to raise the concentration of all the players. He explained that although the gesture was made by coach Luciano Spalletti, its effectiveness depends on how it is perceived by members of the group: older players and those with families often find it uncomfortable, while young people can adapt more easily. According to Llorente, the team needs a "moment of solidarity" after the defeat in Genoa and the six points away from the Champions League zone.
In his critical look at Juventus, Llorente highlighted a lack of "everything" in the squad. He remembered the 2019 team, when Juventus was still united and strong, with key players like Tevez, Vidal and Pogba. He added that the lack of emblematic figures, such as Del Piero or Marchisio, deprives the team of a sense of identity and a role model for newcomers to follow. For him, Juventus needs symbols of Juventus that can transmit the culture of the club to young people.
Llorente then proposed a radical solution: change manager. He cited the experience of Napoli, where the replacement of Ancelotti did not solve the team's problems, as the difficulties were rooted in the management of the club and not just the coach. According to Llorente, the same dynamic could also be present in Juventus: the players have to work harder, fight and help each other, starting from a solid defense and trying to increase the goals. He said coaching alone cannot solve the crisis and that broader change is needed.
The 41-year-old concluded the interview by underlining that Juventus must look in the mirror and find viable paths out of the crisis. He reiterated that, although the team had good relations with Ancelotti in the past, the results were not satisfactory and time was the only factor that was missing. Llorente then invited Juve to undertake a process of renewal, both on a technical and cultural level, to return to competing at the highest level.