Struggling Juventus hires former Napoli and Italy coach Luciano Spalletti
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TURIN, Italy (AP) — Former Napoli and Italy coach Luciano Spalletti was hired to manage struggling Juventus on Thursday and tasked with making the record 36-time Serie A champion a title contender again.
Juventus announced it had signed Spalletti to an eight-month contract — to the end of June. Italian media reports that the contract will be automatically renewed if the club qualifies for the Champions League.
The move comes three days after Igor Tudor was fired following three straight losses and an eight-match winless run that had dated back to Sept. 13. The run ended with a 3-1 win over Udinese on Wednesday under interim coach Massimo Brambilla.
“We are delighted to welcome a coach with such expertise and experience to the Bianconeri family: welcome to Juventus and good luck, coach!” Juventus said in a statement.
Spalletti becomes Juventus’ third full-time coach since Massimiliano Allegri was fired in May, 2024. Including caretakers, he’s the club’s fifth coach in that span.
Thiago Motta was fired by Juventus in March and replaced by Tudor, who helped the club secure Italy’s last Champions League spot with a fourth place finish last season.
Juventus hasn’t won Serie A since 2020 when it concluded a run of nine straight titles.
The team is currently seventh in the standings, six points behind leaders Napoli and Roma.
In the Champions League, Juventus has drawn two and lost one and sits in the elimination places.
The 66-year-old Spalletti is best known for leading Napoli to the Serie A title in 2023. Then he had an unsuccessful run with Italy and was fired in June when the Azzurri got off to a poor start in World Cup qualifying.
Spalletti has also coached Empoli, Sampdoria, Venezia, Udinese, Ancona, Roma, Zenit St. Petersburg and Inter Milan.
At Juventus, Spalletti will join his son, Federico, who is a scout for the club.
Spalletti will make his debut at Cremonese in Serie A on Saturday. Juventus then hosts Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League three days later.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer