Juventus appoint former Italy manager Spalletti as head coach

AFP

Juventus have appointed former Italy manager Luciano Spalletti as head coach until the end of the season, the Serie A club said on Thursday, following the sacking of Igor Tudor.

Juventus turned to the former Italy, Inter Milan and Napoli manager after parting ways with Tudor following an eight-match winless run in all competitions. They sit seventh in the standings after nine games.

"Luciano Spalletti is the new head coach of Juventus, signing an agreement with the club until June 30, 2026," Juventus said in a statement.

"We are delighted to welcome a coach with such expertise and experience to the Bianconeri family: welcome to Juventus and good luck, coach!"

Croatian Tudor, who replaced Thiago Motta in March, was the first foreign manager appointed by Juventus since Frenchman Didier Deschamps in 2006-07.

He guided Juventus to a fourth-place finish in Serie A last season and secured qualification for the Champions League.

However, they had not won a game since mid-September with five draws followed by three straight losses in all competitions before Tudor was sacked.

Massimo Brambilla took interim charge and Juve won their next game, beating Udinese 3-1.

Spalletti, 66, led Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years in 2023, after a long club management career that has included spells at AS Roma, Inter, and a five-year stint with Russian club Zenit St Petersburg.

He was appointed Italy head coach in 2023 and led them to Euro 2024, where they exited in the last 16 after a 2-0 loss to Switzerland.

Spalletti also oversaw an uninspiring World Cup 2026 qualification campaign, leading to his sacking in June, after less than two years in the job.

More from Sports News

  • Ireland beat India for first time in international cricket

    Abhishek Sharma's 19-ball fifty went in vain as world champions India were surprisingly beaten by Ireland for the first time in international cricket, slumping to a 34-run defeat in the first Twenty20 in Belfast on Friday.

  • Williams to face Australia's Joint in Wimbledon comeback

    American great Serena Williams will face Australian 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round of her eagerly awaited return to Wimbledon, a potentially tricky tie for the seven-time champion playing at the tournament for the first time since 2022.

  • Australia reach World Cup knockouts, Turkey beat USA

    Australia booked their spot in the knockout rounds of the World Cup on Thursday after a cagey draw against Paraguay, who are set to qualify as a third-placed finisher, while Turkey beat USA 3-2, scoring the winner with virtually the last kick of the match.

  • Netherlands win Group F, Japan and Sweden also through

    The Netherlands scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the first half en route to a 3-1 victory over Tunisia on Thursday night in Kansas City in Group F, while Japan and Sweden drew 1-1 in Texas.

  • Beccacece hails Ecuador's biggest World Cup victory

    Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece said all Ecuadoreans have a lot to celebrate on Thursday after the country's biggest World Cup result ever, coming from behind to beat Germany 2-1 and advance to the knockout stage.

News