Spalletti Defends Yıldız Decision After Juventus' 2-1 Loss to Napoli

When Luciano Spalletti walked into the post-match press room at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday night, the air was thick with frustration — not just from Napoli fans, but from the very supporters who once cheered him as Juventus’ tactical architect. His team had just lost 2-1, and the blame was being pinned squarely on his decision to start 19-year-old Kenan Yıldız as a lone center-forward, a role he’d never played before, and then sub him off just 15 minutes after he scored Juventus’ only goal. Spalletti didn’t flinch. He didn’t apologize. He defended — fiercely.

‘He’s Not a Striker, But We Needed Him There’

The absence of Dušan Vlahović, sidelined for at least three months after emergency surgery for a torn muscle, forced Spalletti’s hand. Instead of starting Lois Openda, the €45-50 million summer signing, or Jonathan David, the Canadian international, he turned to Yıldız — a player known for his dribbling, vision, and pace on the wing. The idea? To confuse Napoli’s three-man backline by having Yıldız drop deep, pull defenders out of position, and create space for Francisco Conceição and Weston McKennie to surge forward. It looked good on paper. In practice? It didn’t work.

"The idea was to get the forwards playing between the three Napoli defenders," Spalletti said. "But Yıldız always had someone on his back. He couldn’t express himself. We weren’t good enough at putting him in the right conditions to deliver." And yet, he scored. A brilliant, instinctive finish in the 54th minute, curling past Alex Meret after a slick one-two with Conceição. It was the kind of moment that reminds you why Yıldız is considered Italy’s brightest teenage talent. But Spalletti pulled him off in the 76th minute. The crowd gasped. Analysts lost their minds.

"You Were Asking When I’d Rest Him — Now I’m Playing Openda"

When pressed on the substitution, Spalletti’s tone shifted. He didn’t just defend — he pushed back.

"A week ago, you were asking me when I would give Kenan Yıldız a rest," he said, his voice rising slightly. "Today I introduced Openda — a player who Juventus paid €45-50 million for. He has to play too. Yıldız scored and can give us a great deal, but if the team needs those sudden moments of magic and intuitions, then he too needs to increase his contribution."

It was a pointed jab — not just at the media, but at the club’s ownership, whose expectations are now heavier than ever. Openda, who came on for Yıldız, was largely anonymous. David, introduced at halftime, sparked a noticeable improvement. Yıldız, moved to the left wing, looked more like himself — darting, dangerous, unpredictable. "We played better once Jonathan David was introduced," Spalletti admitted. "And Yıldız moved into his more traditional wide left position."

That’s the twist: the team only came alive when they stopped trying to force Yıldız into a role he wasn’t built for. The experiment failed. The solution was obvious — and it came too late.

"We Were Passengers" — Locatelli and the Midfield Collapse

Manuel Locatelli, Juventus’ captain and midfield anchor, didn’t mince words. "The boss asked us to pass more, to dominate the midfield. We made mistakes — simple passes. We need to show what we can do out there."

Spalletti’s assessment was even harsher. "We were passengers," he told reporters, echoing the headline from Football Italia. "Napoli made us chase them."

For 45 minutes, Juventus looked lost. Napoli controlled the tempo, pressed high, and exploited the space left by Yıldız’s isolated positioning. The midfield trio of Locatelli, Manuel Bellerín, and Adrien Rabiot failed to break Napoli’s compact lines. When they did get the ball, they rushed passes. When they didn’t, they panicked.

"We took control after we scored but we played it safe," Spalletti added. "We didn’t look for that extra something. We lost the ball too much. If you don’t grab control, you end up playing the opposition’s game."

It’s a familiar refrain. Juventus have spent the last two seasons chasing the ghost of their past dominance. Now, they’re chasing Napoli — who moved into second place with 32 points — and still trail leaders Inter Milan by eight points. The gap isn’t just in points. It’s in belief.

Fan Fury and the Napoli Tattoo

It wasn’t just the tactics that angered Juventus fans. It was the timing. The context. The tattoo.

Spalletti, 65, has a large, faded image of Naples on his left forearm — a tribute to the city where he once managed and where his son was born. For years, it was seen as a sentimental gesture. Now, it’s being weaponized. "He still loves Napoli," read the headline on Tribuna.com, a sentiment echoed across fan forums and social media. "Why are we letting him play like this?"

Blackwhitereadallover.com captured the moment perfectly: "Spalletti quickly abandoned the experiment in the second half and Juve played measurably better — not that that was a high bar — and equalized." The subtext? He knew it was wrong. He just waited too long to fix it.

What’s Next? Bologna, Pressure, and a Team in Transition

On December 15, 2025, Juventus host Bologna FC 1909 at Allianz Stadium in Turin. The stakes? Higher than ever. With Vlahović out until March, the attack is in chaos. Openda hasn’t clicked. David is still finding his rhythm. Yıldız is caught between youth and responsibility.

Spalletti’s future isn’t in immediate danger — not yet. But the clock is ticking. Every loss, every questionable substitution, every defensive lapse chips away at his authority. And the fans? They’re no longer just asking for results. They’re asking for identity.