Capello Doubts Juventus' Title Hopes as Spalletti Opens a New Chapter
1 November 2025
Spalletti's Challenge at Juventus
Fabio Capello, the former Juventus coach, expressed doubts about the Bianconeri's ability to contend for the Serie A title under the club's new coach, Luciano Spalletti, stressing that Juve should not waste money in January and instead pursue a real upgrade with thoughtful signings.
Juventus announced Spalletti's appointment and held his first press conference on Friday, with the Italian coach signaling optimism about contending for the title this season.
At present, Juventus sit seventh in Serie A, three points off European qualification and six behind leaders Napoli and Roma.
Capello's Take on the Title Race
Capello told La Gazzetta dello Sport that challenging for the title is a major hurdle for him and the club, and he personally does not consider Juventus on par with Napoli or Inter Milan.
He added that Napoli and Inter should be among the title contenders, while Juventus's main objective remains qualification for the Champions League this season.
In context, Juventus were set to face Cremonese that evening as Spalletti began shaping his squad for the match.
Capello also said that if the Old Lady manages to compete for the title, credit should go to Spalletti for proving himself a great coach and motivator.
Tudor was dismissed last Monday after three straight defeats and eight winless games; how Spalletti could turn the team into a title challenger this season remains to be seen.
Asked how, Tudor replied that it is about formations and methods that allow players to perform at their best; he acknowledged that making an impact from midweek to Saturday is not easy for any coach and that it is important to understand whether midweek results are temporary or lasting.
Capello finally suggested to the club about methods for the January window: not to waste money on quick fixes and to seek a real solution; he argued they have already spent enough in Turin.
Spalletti signed an eight month contract with Juventus, with an option to extend to 2027.
The First Juventus Squad Under Spalletti
Ahead of his first match against Cremonese tonight, Spalletti announced an initial 22-man squad with two regulars omitted Kenan Yildiz and Lloyd Kelly due to injuries. Yildiz has a patellar tendon inflammation in his left knee and wore a knee brace in recent games, while Kelly has a back issue but is not expected to keep him out long.
The squad includes a mix of regulars across goal, defense, midfield and attack.
What Tudor achieved with Juventus? Tudor took charge in March last year and steered the side to fourth place and Champions League qualification; he signed on until 2027. The Croatian coach played 174 matches for the club as a player and coached 24 matches as a coach, with 10 wins, 8 draws and 6 losses.
Juventus currently sits eighth in Serie A, nine points behind Napoli, and have collected only two points from their three group stage matches in the Champions League.
Punchlines
Two snappy lines to wrap it up: 1) Capello’s forecast is sharper than a sniper’s bullet — if Juve prove him wrong, it’ll be a January miracle that needs its own transfer window. 2) Spalletti’s plan might be a work in progress, but in Turin even progress comes with a transfer budget that begs the question of where the money hides.
