Juventus sporting director Frederic Massara publicly reaffirmed his confidence in Luciano Spalletti, dismissing suggestions the coach’s position is already under threat despite a difficult start to the Serie A season. Massara spoke to Sky Sport Italia shortly before the Europa League opener against NEC Nijmegen, with his comments relayed via TuttoMercatoWeb.
Asked directly whether Spalletti’s job could already be at risk, Massara pushed back while acknowledging the standards Juventus operate under. He argued that everyone connected to the club has a duty not to minimise dropped points, but insisted the correct response is a calm evaluation rather than panic, adding that this evaluation begins from the certainty that the team is in excellent hands and that the club retains complete faith in both the coach and the squad.
Massara said the club is confident that, with continued work, the growth process can accelerate quickly.
The intervention followed a 3-2 defeat at Sassuolo, described in the primary source as Juventus’ second-worst league start in eight years, a result that had already fuelled speculation over Spalletti’s future. Massara used the extent of the summer overhaul as context for patience, noting that eight new players featured in the starting lineup against NEC and that Juventus rank seventh for minutes played by new signings across the seven biggest European leagues.
He stressed that plenty of interesting work was done during the transfer window, always within limits imposed by UEFA, and that the club is satisfied with what was achieved even if integrating so many new faces takes time to show on the pitch.
On Nick Woltemade, handed his first Juventus start against NEC, Massara rejected any suggestion the German was signed purely as a traditional number nine, describing him instead as a strong striker capable of playing alongside Randal Kolo Muani rather than simply replacing him. Massara’s public backing carries weight given his role in shaping the current squad, though it stops short of any guarantee beyond the statement itself – a distinction already familiar to those following Spalletti’s situation closely this season.
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