Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has called for introspection following the sacking of Croatian coach Igor Tudor. The Serbian forward admitted that it would be counterproductive to blame one person for the club’s poor run of form as Tudor became the third coach to be dismissed in a year and a half, stressing the onus is on the players to make sure they turn things around.
Tudor's sacking and Spalletti's appointment
Tudor was appointed interim coach of Juventus last season following the sacking of Thiago Motta and was handed a permanent contract in the summer after unsuccessful attempts to bring in Gian Piero Gasperini and Antonio Conte. However, a run of poor results put the Croatian tactician under growing pressure. Juventus initially decided to back him, as dismissing Tudor proved complicated since the club was still paying Motta’s severance, and hiring a third coach would have further strained their compliance with UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations.
Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Lazio proved to be the final straw, extending Juventus’ winless run to eight matches. Tudor was subsequently dismissed on Monday.
Former Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti is to be appointed to lead the Bianconeri following Tudor’s sacking. The experienced Tuscan coach, best known for guiding Napoli to the 2022–23 Scudetto, is set to sign a contract until 2026, with an automatic one-year extension if Juventus qualify for the Champions League next season.
AdvertisementAFPVlahovic warns his fellow Juve stars
Tudor’s dismissal marked Juventus’ third managerial change in just over a year and a half. Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked at the end of the 2023-24 season, was succeeded by Thiago Motta before Tudor took over. The Bianconeri brought an end to their eight-game winless run in their first game without Tudor, beating Udinese 3-1 on Wednesday.
In a post-match interview, Vlahovic took responsibility for their recent failures, saying: "We’ve changed three coaches in a year and a half. We need to take a look in the mirror and see where we’re going wrong. I don’t think it’s fair to blame one person; we’re all to blame.
"[Against Udinese] we had to send a signal, and we did, but if we don’t do it in the next few games, it won’t be of any use."
Great start to the campaign marred by poor form
Tudor guided Juventus to three wins in their first three games of the season, including a thrilling 4-3 victory over Inter in the Derby d’Italia that saw them top the Serie A table. While he succeeded in restoring defensive stability, something that was missing during Motta’s final days at the club, Tudor’s pragmatic approach saw Juventus grinding out narrow wins in the early weeks.
However, the team’s fortunes began to dip following a chaotic 4-4 draw against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Their struggles continued with a 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Hellas Verona, followed by a 2-2 draw against Villarreal in the Champions League. Stalemates against Atalanta and AC Milan further extended their winless streak, as Juventus slipped out of the Serie A top four.
After the October international break, Juventus’ situation worsened with a 2–0 defeat to Como, followed by a 1–0 loss to Real Madrid. Support for Tudor poured in from several corners, with club legend Alessandro Del Piero cautioning that the team’s problems ran far deeper than the coach, while former Italy striker Antonio Cassano also came to his defense, insisting that the Croatian was not to blame for Juventus’ struggles.
Despite the backing, last week's 1-0 defeat to Lazio proved decisive. The result extended their winless run to eight matches and marked the fourth consecutive game in which they failed to score, ultimately sealing Tudor’s fate.
Vlahovic, who enjoyed a strong start to the 2025-26 campaign under Tudor, said it was time for the players to let their actions speak louder than their words.
“We need to talk less and do more. We need to get back to performing better and winning. I'm focused on that,” the Serbian striker said.
“I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Mister Tudor for what he's done, for what he represents for Juventus, and I wish him the best of luck.”
(C)Getty ImagesSpalletti's first game in charge
Juventus will aim to build on their 3-1 victory over Udinese when they face Cremonese on Saturday, as they look to climb back into the top four. The game could also be Spalletti’s first game in charge as the coach of Juventus.