Napoli – Juventus: Spalletti's stormy homecoming

07/12/2025 08:35:00 PANDATV

Coach Luciano Spalletti will make his first return to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium since winning the historic Scudetto in 2023. Yet, instead of a warm welcome with flowers and cheers, he will be met by the anger of a city that feels betrayed.

Naples is a city ruled by emotions, where the boundary between love and hatred is as thin as a thread. Luciano Spalletti was once a living saint here, having brought home the Serie A title that the city had awaited for over three decades. He tattooed the Napoli crest and the club’s third Scudetto on his arm as proof of his "till death" love. He even vowed on live TV that he would never coach another Italian team out of respect for the blue jersey.

But that promise dissipated when he agreed to join Juventus—Napoli’s fiercest rival.

The Fury of Vesuvius

The outrage exploded as soon as news broke of Spalletti’s move to Juve. In the Sanita neighborhood, hostile banners appeared reading: "Despicable traitor, cursed fate." The extremist fan group Anima Azzurra called him a "fraud," a "betrayer," and declared he never deserved their affection.

Spalletti attempted to ease tensions with emotional statements: "Napoli is always in my heart," "I will always have many friends there." He clarified that his earlier vow applied only to the season immediately after his departure. However, for the people of Naples, these were mere excuses. This Sunday, Maradona Stadium will become a true furnace to "welcome" the former coach. The pressure from 60,000 fans will be a huge mental challenge for Spalletti and his players. The Vesuvius volcano, a symbol of the city, is ready to "erupt."

Luciano Spalletti is seen as a traitor by Napoli fans

The Reunion of Old Foes

If Spalletti is considered "Judas" by Napoli, then Antonio Conte is Juventus’s "unfinished dream." In the summer of 2025, Juve rolled out the red carpet to invite Conte back to rebuild the team, just like he did in 2011 to kick off the era of nine consecutive Scudetti. But Conte chose to remain with Napoli.

This confrontation carries many layers of meaning. Conte wants to prove that Napoli is truly superior to Juventus, while Spalletti must show he is not a secondary choice. Napoli is confident after defeating Roma and returning to the top of the table alongside Milan. The recent brilliance of "supporting stars" David Neres and Noa Lang gives Conte extra firepower.

Meanwhile, Juventus shows signs of revival with three consecutive wins across all competitions (3-2 vs Bodo/Glimt, 2-1 vs Cagliari, and 2-0 vs Udinese), but fragility remains. The injury to Dusan Vlahovic (out for 3 months) is a headache for Spalletti, and to make matters worse, center-back Federico Gatti has also joined the injury list (torn meniscus, out at least a month), leaving Juve’s defense with only Kalulu and Kelly as fit center-backs.

How will Spalletti manage? The most feasible option is to pull Teun Koopmeiners back to play as a left-sided center-back in a three-man defense, or switch to a four-man backline as successfully tested against Udinese. Up front, Jonathan David or Lois Openda will have to shoulder the scoring duties, although neither has fully settled yet. The young playmaker Kenan Yildiz, who scored a brace against Cagliari in the previous round, will be the biggest hope for creating breakthroughs.

Napoli is brimming with momentum, while Juventus is patched up but determined. Maradona Stadium will witness a fiery night where football intertwines with hatred and grudges, creating the unique flavor only Serie A can offer. Spalletti has regained trust after a winning streak, but can he maintain it in the face of Naples’ fury?

Nguyen Vinh

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