TURIN, Italy (AP) – Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has signed a new two-year contract with the Serie A club after a highly encouraged six-month stint in the role.
Spalletti was the first to tell his players ahead of training on Friday, Juventus reported. Announcement video on social media channels.
“We thought it was most important to convey this fact first and foremost, so we decided to extend this contract for another two years,” Spalletti said. “Before you find out, I want you to know this.I will tell you this today.
“Of course we have challenges ahead of us, but I am confident that together with you it will be a great challenge, because I will meet it with your attitude and strength, as you have always done.”
Spalletti was hired He returned at the end of October to replace Igor Tudor, who was sacked after three consecutive losses and eight games without a win.
Juventus announced at the time that they had signed Spalletti to an eight-month contract, with Italian media reporting that the contract would be automatically renewed for another two years if the club qualified for the Champions League.
Juventus currently have seven games left in the Serie A season and are just one point behind fourth-placed Como, just shy of qualifying for the Champions League.
“They offered me this contract when I arrived seven months ago,” Spalletti said. “It was like saying, ‘Let’s hang out a little bit, let’s spend some time together, let’s get to know each other, and then at the end of the season we’re free to decide what we want based on what we’ve done.'”
When Spalletti took over as manager, Juventus were seventh in Serie A and on the verge of being eliminated from the Champions League.
Under Spalletti, Juventus won 17 of their 31 games, lost six and drew eight. The Bianconeri managed to reach the play-off round of the Champions League, but lost to Galatasaray.
“Since Luciano joined our great Juventus family, he has had an immediate and extremely positive impact on our players, the entire club and the entire Bianconeri community,” Juventus CEO Damian Comolli said in a statement. “It was immediately clear to everyone that Luciano was the right person to lead the team on a growth trajectory.
“His ambitious style of play reflects the expectations of our fans and the club, and his values embody our identity. We have therefore decided to continue working together beyond the previously agreed contract period, as we believe that stability and continuity are two essential pillars for future success.”
Juventus has not won in Serie A since 2020, when they won their ninth straight title.
Spalletti is best known for Lead Napoli to victory in Serie A 2023. Then he The match against the Italian national team ended in failure. The Azzurri were then sacked in June last year after a poor start to World Cup qualifying.
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