Graziani explains which position should Yildiz occupy under Spalletti

Graziani Explains Yildiz's Ideal Role Under Spalletti

Former Italy forward Francesco Graziani shared his thoughts on how Kenan Yildiz could fit into the plans of newly appointed Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti.

Spalletti’s Appointment and First Match

Luciano Spalletti, formerly in charge of Roma and Napoli, took over Juventus on Thursday, just three days after Igor Tudor was dismissed following an eight-game winless streak. The 66-year-old coach started positively, securing a 2–1 away victory over Cremonese on Saturday.

Tactical Adjustments and Surprises

Spalletti opted for a hybrid 3-4-1-2 system that featured some unexpected changes. Teun Koopmeiners was deployed in defense, while Weston McKennie played as an attacking midfielder behind Loic Openda and Dusan Vlahovic. Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram formed the double pivot in midfield.

Graziani’s Evaluation of Juventus Midfield

“To be at the top, Juventus are missing a couple of quality midfielders,” said 1982 World Cup winner Francesco Graziani in his interview with Radio Sportiva via TuttoJuve.

Graziani noted that while McKennie shows great effort, he lacks creativity. He praised Thuram and Locatelli’s performance, emphasizing that despite criticism, Locatelli remains a vital piece of Spalletti’s setup. He added that Cremonese’s second-half pressure forced Juventus to retreat deeper.

Trust in the Squad

“Atalanta’s Koopmeiners was a different player compared to the current version. Now we need to have faith in the players in the squad, trying to get them to perform at their best. And that’s Spalletti’s job.”

Graziani concluded that Spalletti’s main challenge will be to extract the best from the current roster while making key improvements in midfield.

Author’s Summary

Graziani believes Spalletti’s early impact shows potential but stresses Juventus must strengthen their midfield to compete for top honors.

Juvefc.com — 2025-11-03