Juventus' rough season: What went wrong?

Juventus’ latest season started with low expectations, mostly because of a decent but not outstanding squad led by Igor Tudor. Fans and pundits thought the team could at least scrape into the Champions League—something they’d done for years. But this time, for the first time in a while (except for a point-deducted season), they missed out on the top four. Tudor’s short-lived return didn’t help. After failing to land big-name managers like Antonio Conte, the club stuck with Tudor temporarily. But a terrible start—eight straight games without a win—forced a quick change. Luciano Spalletti took over, but by then, the damage was already done.

The summer transfers were a flop. Four new players joined, but none made a real difference. Then, come January, the club still didn’t fix their biggest problem: a missing striker. Dusan Vlahovic was out for months, and replacements like Jonathan David and Lois Openda couldn’t fill the gap. Without a real goal threat, Juventus struggled to score when it mattered. Goalkeeping blunders didn’t help either. Michele Di Gregorio, once Serie A’s best goalkeeper, started making costly mistakes. Spalletti benched him, but injuries gave him another chance—one he wasted. Meanwhile, questionable referee calls hurt Juventus repeatedly, especially in key matches. But the biggest issue? Weak mentality. Spalletti admitted his team lacked the toughness to handle pressure. In a crucial match against Fiorentina, they folded under stress, blowing a chance to secure Champions League football. Without strong leaders, even decent teams can collapse under pressure.

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