Spalletti 'obsessed' with improving Juventus and repaying Agnelli family's faith
Juventus travel to Bologna in Serie A on Sunday, after the Agnelli family announced they had rejected a €1b offer for the club.
Luciano Spalletti is "obsessed" with improving Juventus' fortunes and wants to repay the Agnelli family's commitment to the Bianconeri, after they rejected a bid for the club.
On Saturday, the Agnelli family's holding company, Exor, turned down an offer from cryptocurrency firm Tether – reportedly worth over €1b – for the Old Lady.
Exor chief executive John Elkann said in a video posted to social media: "Juve has been part of my family for 102 years.
"It is with this passion in mind, with this love story that has united us for more than a century, that as a family we continue to support our team and look to the future to build a winning Juve."
Spalletti welcomed that news on the eve of a trip to Bologna, and the former Italy boss believes that improving on Juve's current position of seventh in Serie A is the best way to repay that faith.
"Even though I've only been here a short time, I think I can include the whole squad in this conversation," Spalletti told reporters.
"It's gratifying once again to hear the strength and passion that John Elkann and the family have for this club.
"It's clear that it's up to us to give substance and solidity to that passion, by honouring the past and building a future at the same level, or even better."
Compared to this stage of the 2024-25 Serie A campaign, Juve have three fewer points (23 to 26), have scored fewer goals (18 to 22), conceded more (14 to eight) and are further away from the top of the table (eight points to six).
Spalletti has only overseen two victories in five Serie A games since taking the reins, with his average of 1.6 points per game being the worst of any Bianconeri boss since Luigi Delneri between 2010 and 2011 (1.53).
Juve also toiled for long periods in their 2-0 midweek victory over Pafos in the Champions League, but Spalletti is convinced better times are coming.
"Nobody will convince me that these players aren't good. On the contrary, I'm convinced we will overcome these limitations," Spalletti said.
"I accepted this role because I believe in it. I've been doing this job for years, and I know it isn't easy. I'm obsessed with the idea of being able to change and improve this group."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bologna – Riccardo Orsolini
Orsolini has scored two goals against Juventus in Serie A (both at the Dall'Ara in May 2021 and April 2023), and he is chasing a piece of club history on Sunday.
He could become the first Bologna player to be directly involved in 100 goals in Serie A since the tournament returned to a 20-team format (in 2004-05) – he currently has 99 goal involvements (71 goals, 28 assists).
Juventus – Kenan Yildiz
Yildiz, who scored in the only Serie A match he has played against Bologna at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara (20 May 2024), has eight goal involvements in Serie A this season (five goals, three assists) – the joint-fourth most of any player.
Only Nico Paz (10), Lautaro Martínez and Christian Pulisic (both nine) have more. Yildiz is also one of only six players born in 2005 or later to have at least eight goal involvements in Europe's top five leagues in 2025-26, alongside Lamine Yamal, Yan Diomande, Said El Mala, Can Uzun and Arda Guler.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Bologna and Juventus have drawn each of their last five meetings in Serie A, with three of those having a 1-1 scoreline.
They have never recorded six consecutive draws against each other in the competition, but the Opta supercomputer struggles to split the teams ahead of this one.
Among the teams currently in Serie A, Juventus are the side against whom Bologna have gone the longest without a home win, with their last such victory coming on November 29 1998 (3-0).
Since then, in 22 Serie A home matches against Juventus, Bologna have drawn eight and lost 14.
And the Bianconeri have lost three of their last five away Serie A matches (one win, one draw), as many defeats as in their previous 25 games on the road. Furthermore, they have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 away league fixtures.
And this is Bologna's second-best start to a Serie A season in the three-points-for-a-win era (since 1994-95), with 25 points from their first 14 games; they only did better in the 2002-03 campaign (26), with Vincenzo Italiano's team sitting fifth in the table.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bologna – 34.5%
Juventus – 36.5%
Draw – 29%
