Spalletti doesn’t hold back on Juventus criticism: messages for six players | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti lost his first game as the Juventus coach on Sunday, and the Tuscan has already sent direct messages to some key players aiming to improve performance on the pitch.

Juventus’ 2-1 defeat against Napoli on Sunday was Spalletti’s first loss in eight matches as the Old Lady’s boss.

The Italian tactician has been criticised by the media for his line-up decisions and his use of substitutions at the Stadio Maradona over the weekend, and Fabio Capello did not appreciate the coach’s remarks on Kenan Yildiz.

FLORENCE, ITALY – NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Luciano Spalletti manager of Juventus FC looks on during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Juventus FC at Artemio Franchi on November 22, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Spalletti has been in charge of Juventus for over a month, but has already made his feelings clear towards some key players, as reported by Gazzetta.

Clearly, the Italian tactician has only begun his tenure in Turin, but his observations on and off the pitch show where he sees areas of improvement in the team.

Below are some of Spalletti’s critical remarks about the team, which he hopes will trigger a positive reaction in the upcoming games.

Thuram

“Why are we making so many mistakes?” Spalletti rhetorically asked Khephren Thuram during a 2-1 win over Cremonese, which marked his debut on the Bianconeri’s bench. The coach demanded more accuracy in the build-up from the back and higher intensity on counter-attacks and pressing.

David and Openda

“They need to have that self-esteem and a bit of a di**face, otherwise others notice it, and if you’re timid, they’ll slap you around,” after Juventus 2-1 Cagliari.

TURIN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 04: Kenan Yildiz of Juventus looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Juventus and Sporting Clube de Portugal at Juventus Stadium on November 04, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)

Yildiz

“A week ago, you were asking me when I would give Kenan Yildiz a rest. Today I introduced Openda, a player who Juventus paid €45-50m for. He has to play too.

“Yildiz scored and can give us a great deal, but if the team needs those sudden moments of magic and intuitions, then he too needs to increase his contribution,” after Napoli 1-2 Juventus.

Locatelli

“Locatelli sat a bit too deep and didn’t maintain the position I wanted in midfield, then the two forwards had little mobility and we kept getting bogged down in the middle. We didn’t pass it around quickly or make the numerical advantage count in midfield,” after Napoli 1-2 Juventus.

Edon Zhegrova arrives for his Juventus medical.

Zhegrova

“I could start him, and then you’d notice what the problem is,” Spalletti said after Napoli 1-2 Juventus.

“Because he’s a player for the last 15 meters, but do you know he’s had surgery, he’s coming off an injury, and he’s been out for a very long time? This week, we even had to pull him out of training because he felt some pain. It’s been a while since he’s trained at really high levels and really high intensity. I’m curious myself to try and play him more, but when the opposing team gets the ball, and you get pushed back into your own half, bringing him up isn’t easy because he’d need to be supported by a better physical condition.”