Buffon: ‘Spalletti the best choice for Juventus – Allegri had more trust because of his record’

Gianluigi Buffon believes Juventus have made “the best possible choice” by appointing Luciano Spalletti but admits he regrets not seeing him take charge from the start of the season.

Speaking on the Viva el Fútbol podcast, via CalcioMercato, Italy’s head of delegation and former Juventus captain reflected on the Bianconeri’s turbulent campaign and recent coaching change.

“They started well, but maybe not fully convinced by the project,” Buffon said. “Looking at how and when Tudor was sacked, it suggests there wasn’t complete belief from the beginning.

Now they’ve made the best possible fix: Spalletti can guarantee the results the fans and club expect. The only pity is that I’d have liked to see him from the start, with pre-season and player choices, Juve could’ve been competitive until the end.”

Buffon also touched on Igor Tudor’s dismissal: “It seemed there were problems with empathy between him and the directors. You could sense it from his last interviews.”

On Juventus’ broader situation, he added: “After ten years of success, it’s natural to go through difficulties. They need the right people in management, on the bench and on the pitch. We experienced something similar between 2009 and 2011.”

On Allegri, who the former Italy international argued received more backing from the Juventus leadership than any of his successors, Buffon noted: “He had more trust because of his past. His track record gave certain guarantees of reaching objectives, even if minimal. For others, there was confidence, but with some hesitation.”