La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus management is seriously considering terminating Luciano Spalletti’s contract and not renewing it.
Spalletti took over as Juventus coach last November, succeeding Igor Tudor. Despite a promising start, the Bianconeri’s results have declined significantly in recent weeks.
In their last four matches across all competitions, Juventus have failed to win and are on the verge of elimination from the Champions League after a 5-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the first leg of their Round of 16 playoff.
According to the report, Juventus owner John Elkann is closely monitoring developments next week, and the implications for Spalletti and sporting director Damien Comolli are significant.
Elkan will not tolerate Spalletti and Comolli failing to overturn the deficit against Galatasaray in the second leg and qualify for the Round of 16. He will also be watching Parma’s upcoming Serie A match to gauge their reaction after last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Como.
While the Juventus owner enjoys a good relationship with Spalletti and has previously stated that the current plan is to renew his contract, it is now clear that the coach is losing control in the dressing room, which could negatively impact the club’s future.
Spalletti is unlikely to be sacked during the current season, but the option of dismissing him at the end of the season, when his current contract expires, is now a serious consideration for the Italian club.
