Spalletti Under Fire: Juventus Off to a Worse Start Under Spalletti in 2026-27 Than Tudor in 2025-26 After Lazio Humiliation

A Points Tally That Tells a Damning Story

The raw numbers paint a stark picture. After seven rounds of Serie A fixtures, Juventus have collected three wins, two draws and two defeats, giving them just 11 points. That record leaves them already eight points adrift of the early pace-setters, Inter and Lazio, at the top of the table. Compare that to the same stage of the previous season, when Tudor was still in charge: the Croatian had guided the Old Lady to three wins, three draws and a single loss, accumulating 12 points. In other words, Juventus off to a worse start under Spalletti in 2026-27 than Tudor in 2025-26 by a margin of one point — a small gap in isolation, but one loaded with symbolism given how Tudor’s tenure ended.

Tudor was dismissed after the eighth Serie A match of the 2025-26 season, with 12 points from eight games on his record. Spalletti was appointed on October 30, 2025, tasked with steadying the ship and restoring Juventus to the upper echelons of Italian football. Nearly a year later, the project appears to have stalled — and the irony is impossible to ignore.

Lazio Defeat Exposes Familiar Frailties

Sunday’s collapse against Lazio was not merely a defeat; it was a dismantling. Oliver Provstgaard Nielsen opened the scoring for the visitors, and Gattuso’s side never looked back, exploiting the spaces and hesitancy that have become alarmingly characteristic of this Juventus team. The home support, who had arrived hoping for a statement performance, instead witnessed a display devoid of intensity, cohesion and cutting edge. The final whistle was met with a chorus of boos that will echo around the Allianz Stadium for some time.

Spalletti, for his part, now finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being judged against the very man he replaced. The narrative that Juventus off to a worse start under Spalletti in 2026-27 than Tudor in 2025-26 is not just a statistical quirk; it is a stick with which critics will beat the coach and the club’s hierarchy. The Tuscan tactician was brought in precisely because Tudor’s results were deemed insufficient, yet the early evidence of this campaign suggests the regression has continued rather than been reversed.

Pressure Mounting on Spalletti and the Board

The pressure on Spalletti is multifaceted. On the pitch, his side have struggled for fluency, with the attacking transitions that once defined Juventus looking laboured and predictable. Defensively, the concession of three goals at home to Lazio — a team that arrived in Turin in fine form but hardly a European powerhouse — has raised serious questions about the team’s structure and mentality. Off the pitch, the club’s decision-makers are facing scrutiny over a recruitment strategy that has failed to deliver the reinforcements needed to compete at the very top.

It is worth noting that the comparison with Tudor cuts both ways. Tudor’s Juventus was also far from convincing, and his sacking was widely accepted as inevitable. But the fact that Juventus off to a worse start under Spalletti in 2026-27 than Tudor in 2025-26 provides a clear benchmark for the current coach’s performance. If the trend continues, the calls for change will only grow louder, and the club’s patience — already tested by a turbulent few years — may wear thin quickly.

What Comes Next for the Bianconeri?

The fixture list offers little respite. With Inter and Lazio already pulling away, Juventus cannot afford to drop further points if they harbour ambitions of a title challenge or even a comfortable top-four finish. Spalletti must find solutions quickly, whether through tactical adjustments, personnel changes or a renewed emphasis on defensive solidity. The return of key players from injury would help, but the coach cannot rely on that alone.

The coming weeks will be decisive. Should Juventus fail to arrest the slide, the debate over Spalletti’s future will intensify, and the phrase ‘Juventus off to a worse start under Spalletti in 2026-27 than Tudor in 2025-26’ will become an increasingly uncomfortable refrain for everyone associated with the club. For now, the coach retains the backing of the dressing room, but football is a results business, and results are conspicuously absent.

Conclusion

The 3-0 home defeat to Lazio has crystallised the concerns that had been bubbling beneath the surface at Juventus. The statistics are unambiguous: Juventus off to a worse start under Spalletti in 2026-27 than Tudor in 2025-26, and the boos that rang out at the Allianz Stadium were a clear expression of supporter frustration. Spalletti was hired to improve upon Tudor’s work, but nearly a year into his tenure, the Bianconeri find themselves further adrift and under mounting scrutiny. With a demanding fixture list ahead and rivals already opening a gap, the coach must act swiftly to reverse the narrative. If he cannot, the comparison with his predecessor may prove to be the least of his worries.