The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode: Can Juventus succeed under Spalletti?
Date: October 30, 2025
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
Guest: James Horncastle

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ayo Akinwolere and James Horncastle take a deep dive into the ongoing drama at Juventus following the sacking of Igor Tudor and the appointment of Luciano Spalletti as head coach. The conversation explores Juve’s recent struggles, the club's complicated leadership dynamics, the lingering financial and sporting effects of the Cristiano Ronaldo era, and what Spalletti's arrival means for the club and Serie A at large. The episode rounds off with a broader discussion on the state of Italian football, including managerial instability and the challenges facing Italy's biggest clubs amid disruption by ambitious smaller sides.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Juventus Sack Igor Tudor: What Happened?

Timestamps: 02:49 – 05:03

• Juve’s winless run in eight games, losing three and failing to score, led to Tudor’s sacking on Monday.
  • “Within that winless run, they'd lost their last three games. They'd failed to score in any of them.” – James Horncastle [03:24]
• Sacking a manager so early is rare at Juve; “you have to go back 55 years to see them intervene this early.” – Horncastle [03:49]
• Massimo Brambilla, Next Gen (youth) coach, stepped in as interim and led Juve to a 3-1 win over Udinese.

2. Luciano Spalletti Appointed as New Manager

Timestamps: 05:03 – 12:27

• Juventus’ new general manager is Damien Comolli, formerly of Liverpool and Tottenham – seen as an outsider in Italy, sparking skepticism.
  • “To entrust the running of the football operations of the club to Comolli... there is, why is this guy better than us?” – Horncastle [05:34]
• Spalletti arrives after his turbulent stint as Italy’s national coach: he restored Napoli to champions but struggled with the national team.
• Giorgio Chiellini, now director of football strategy, pushed for an experienced Italian to steady Juventus.
• Spalletti himself calls the job “pure morphine” – a way to heal after the hellish experience with the national team.
  • “This job is pure morphine for him. Pain relief, okay.” – Horncastle (about Spalletti) [09:28]

3. Spalletti’s Reputation & Italian Sentiment

Timestamps: 07:20 – 12:27

• Fans feel a mix of optimism and cautious skepticism due to Spalletti’s league record and national team failures.
• Spalletti’s coaching style is advanced, but it struggled to translate at the international level with limited time with players.
• Recalled press tensions and internal “paranoia,” but Horncastle lauds Spalletti as “arguably the brightest Italian coach of his generation.” [11:56]
• Notable quote: “Conte's won more. Allegri's won more... but in terms of just being extraordinarily bright, Spalletti...is the brightest.” – Horncastle [11:56]

4. Juventus Leadership Turmoil & Financial Fallout

Timestamps: 15:20 – 24:49

• Agnelli family’s reshuffling: Andrea Agnelli resigned in 2022 amidst financial investigations.
• John Elkann, cousin, now oversees Juventus indirectly, installing execs from other Agnelli holdings.
• Max Allegri, then Giuntoli (best-in-class sporting director, successful at Napoli) and Thiago Motta (young coach) were brought in but quickly ousted after poor results, leading to current volatility.
• Andrea Agnelli’s best legacy: the Next Gen team, helping youth step up to the first team.
• Example of mismanagement: selling Dean Huijsen, who now stars at Real Madrid.

5. The 'Ghost' of Cristiano Ronaldo

Timestamps: 20:29 – 25:28

• The high-cost Ronaldo purchase and COVID’s financial impact still haunt Juve’s finances.
• Ongoing arbitration: Ronaldo claims €19.6 million in unpaid wages; outcome due in January.
  • “The short story here is that in Covid, Juventus were negotiating salary reductions...and Cristiano was the highest earner.” – Horncastle [20:52]
• Horncastle blames club decision-makers, not Ronaldo, calling the move “the biggest risk of that era at Juventus.”
  • “I'm not blaming Ronaldo. I'm blaming the decision to sign Ronaldo.” – Horncastle [21:53]
• Knock-on effects: transfer market missteps, player departures, and a possible looming financial fair play breach.
• Example misfire: Douglas Luiz signed with ambition, now at Nottingham Forest.

6. Crypto and Juventus’ Ownership

Timestamps: 25:28 – 27:48

• Exor (Agnelli holding) keeps injecting capital, nearly €1 billion since Ronaldo’s signing.
• New player: Tether, a crypto firm, now holds 11% of Juve shares and seeks influence, but some decisions have left observers baffled.

7. Managerial Turnover in Serie A

Timestamps: 30:18 – 35:22

• Serie A’s managerial “merry-go-round:” no club has a manager appointed before June 2024.
• Italy once benefited from stability (long-serving managers like Gasperini at Atalanta, Pioli at Milan, Inzaghi at Inter), but now it’s transactional.
• Familiar faces return—Allegri, Spalletti, Sarri, Conte—while new blood struggles to break through.
  • “It just shows how transactional Italian football is...it also feels like we've course corrected, we've got all of these league title-winning coaches.” – Horncastle [34:11]
• Young coaches now rare, old guard dominates, and similar trends emerge with aging star players.

8. Serie A’s Landscape: Parity, Disruption, and Upward Mobility

Timestamps: 37:19 – 43:13

• The league has seen four different champions in six years—unique in Europe.
• Success stories: Atalanta (well-run family club), with Como emerging as a data-driven, upwardly-mobile “best run club in Italy.”
  • “Como are definitely evidence of how upwardly mobile you can be in Serie A if you have a very clear strategy and nail all your decisions.” – Horncastle [39:50]
• Disrupters like Como contrast with tradition-bound giants (Juve, Milan), who struggle to innovate but are pressured by expectation.
• Innovation easier at upstarts than at heritage clubs, where “winning is the only thing that counts.”
  • “At Juve...there are no transition years...second place is failure at Juventus.” – Horncastle [41:27]

9. Italian Talent & the Challenge for Juventus

Timestamps: 35:28 – 37:11

• Juventus struggles to sign top Italian players now in the Premier League.
• National team coach Spalletti once encouraged players to move abroad, making it even harder for Juve to build an Italian core.
  • “Signing those players is almost out of reach for Juventus at the moment.” – Horncastle [36:54]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This job is pure morphine for him. Pain relief, okay.” – James Horncastle [09:28]
• “When Cristiano left, he claimed...Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo have been in arbitration for the last couple of years.” – Horncastle [20:52]
• “Winning isn’t important, it’s the only thing that counts.” – Horncastle (on Juventus culture) [41:27]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Juventus Sacking Tudor & Crisis: 02:49 – 05:03
• Spalletti’s Appointment & Reputation: 05:03 – 12:27
• Juve’s Leadership & Finances: 15:20 – 24:49
• Cristiano Ronaldo Legacy Issues: 20:29 – 25:28
• Crypto Ownership & Tether: 25:28 – 27:48
• Serie A Managerial Instability: 30:18 – 35:22
• State of Serie A & Disruptors: 37:19 – 43:13

Summary Takeaways

• Despite Spalletti’s league pedigree, Juventus face deep-rooted issues—unstable leadership, financial woes from past gambles (notably Ronaldo), and a fanbase with no appetite for transition or patience.
• Serie A is in a state of flux: once defined by stability and innovation via young coaches, it’s reverted to old faces while upstart clubs like Como innovate and thrive.
• Juventus’s cultural rigidity may hinder their ability to emulate the fresh, data-driven approaches of Italy’s disruptors. Spalletti’s appointment might bring short-term stability but the club’s long-term path remains uncertain.

For a full and nuanced understanding of Juventus’ present and future, and Serie A’s evolving landscape, this episode is essential listening for football fans interested in the intersection of sporting ambition, finance, and tradition.