Damien Comolli did not mince words. In a brutally honest press conference, the Juventus CEO admitted that failing to secure Champions League qualification was a "failure" that delivers "physical pain, like a stomach punch." The French executive shared his sleepless nights, echoing coach Luciano Spalletti’s own restless evenings, and took full responsibility for a season that went off the rails at the final hurdle. “It’s frustrating,” Comolli explained, “we came so close, everything was in our hands, and then the Fiorentina match changed everything.” Yet beneath the anguish, he laid out a clear, unsentimental plan to steer the Bianconeri back to the summit—one that may require a higher-profile sacrifice than initially planned.
The financial consequences of missing Europe’s elite competition are immediate and stark. Comolli revealed that Juventus may now need to make “one more sale than we had in mind” to keep the accounts balanced. With a UEFA settlement agreement covering the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 seasons expected to be finalized by late June, the club is operating under tight constraints. If the deal is signed, any player removed from the squad list submitted in February must be replaced by one who costs less. Comolli projected that Juventus could reach break-even in 2026-27 and will certainly do so by 2027-28, while ruling out the need for a capital increase. The message is clear: sporting ambitions won’t be lowered, but they must coexist with fiscal discipline.
Amid the necessary squad restructuring, one name is sacrosanct: Kenan Yildiz. Comolli declared unequivocally that the young Turkish talent “is not moving” and faces no risk of being sold. The club sees him as a pillar of the future, a player to build around. The situation around Dušan Vlahović is less certain. Comolli expressed a desire to continue together but noted that previous talks had been deferred to the end of the season, with Champions League qualification a factor. “We want to go forward, but we don’t know how exactly,” he admitted, signaling that the Serbian striker’s future might hinge on the offer that arrives. Meanwhile, Comolli took personal responsibility for the underwhelming impact of summer signing Openda, acknowledging that the change from Tudor’s tactics to Spalletti’s system may have played a role.
A recurring subplot of the season has been the dynamic between Comolli and Spalletti. The CEO dismissed reports of friction, emphasizing “constant communication” and a shared vision for building the squad. He stressed that Spalletti is deeply involved in the market strategy, often more informed than Comolli himself through daily contact with sporting director Marco Ottolini. “We chose Luciano because I was and am convinced he is the right person to lead the team,” Comolli said, noting that he pushed for the coach’s contract renewal to provide continuity. He acknowledged that, after only seven months together, the partnership can improve, but both men are committed to making it work—using data analysis, including personality assessments, to identify the kind of high-character players the club needs.
The path ahead also includes a pivotal summit with John Elkann, expected on Friday or Monday, to align on the adjustments and “dot the i’s.” Comolli described a close working relationship with the Exor chairman, with multiple conversations per week regardless of results. There is, he said, full alignment on the tweaks required and unwavering support for the project. Despite the setback, Comolli insisted that no player approached so far has refused to join Juventus because of the Europa League. “They want to come because this is Juventus, beyond the Champions League,” he stated, underscoring the club’s enduring pull.
Looking forward, Juventus are already preparing for next season’s Europa League campaign, studying potential opponents and treating the competition with the seriousness it deserves. “We have already started to study the Europa League,” Comolli revealed. The objective is to build a team capable of competing on all fronts, with targeted additions and a core of protected starters. Comolli’s overarching philosophy is that a CEO’s work should be judged over a five-year cycle, but the urgency to win now is palpable.
This press conference was a masterclass in crisis communication—raw, responsible, and resolute. Comolli laid bare the hurt of failure while anchoring the narrative in a long-term vision that does not shy away from hard choices. For a club that has tasted nothing but domestic dominance for a decade, the shock of fifth place is a call to action. Whether that action comes in the form of a star departure or a clever market maneuver remains to be seen, but the message from the top is that Juventus will not compromise its essence: a club that exists to win, and will do whatever it takes—within the rules—to get back there. Based on reporting from Tuttosport.
