Luciano Spalletti has moved to explain the decision to substitute Jonathan David after just 30 minutes in Juventus’s 1-0 pre-season victory over Chelsea in Hong Kong on August 5, insisting the move was purely tactical and had nothing to do with the striker’s physical condition.
David came on at half-time in place of Arkadiusz Milik, only to be replaced by Durmisi before the hour mark, raising questions among supporters watching from afar. Spalletti was direct in his response, telling Sky Sport Italia that the plan was always to give David a defined window of action rather than run him into the ground this early in pre-season.
Spalletti explained that it is August, meaning substitutions are heavy and strategic, that he gave debuts to two youngsters on the night, and that David was always scheduled for around 30 minutes. The coach added that he preferred to bring David into the match when it was still competitive rather than hand him the final, quieter quarter of the game – and that, in his words, David could not do more at this moment in time.
The win itself was secured by Edon Zhegrova‘s curling left-footed finish in the 68th minute, assisted by Kenan Yildiz – himself managed carefully after a recurring knee problem that kept him sidelined for an extended stretch. Spalletti confirmed Yildiz no longer feels pain and is part of a planned return-to-fitness process, with minutes being limited deliberately as that process unfolds, according to Football Italia.
Zeki Celik was the only new signing to start the match, with David and the recently arrived Randal Kolo Muani both part of a squad that Spalletti acknowledged is nowhere near its competitive-season shape. Kolo Muani joined from Paris Saint-Germain over the weekend, alongside Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen, and further reinforcements are expected before the season begins.
Spalletti closed by reiterating that he has a strong working relationship with the club, that discussions are ongoing, and that the club are pushing to achieve the best possible outcomes in the transfer market – without committing to specifics on targets or timelines.
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