Gianluigi Buffon believes Igor Tudor has provided the much-needed spark for Juventus after the dismissal of Thiago Motta. He also weighed in on the Scudetto race, seeing Inter and Napoli as the main contenders.
The legendary Italian goalkeeper, now working with the national team under Luciano Spalletti, shared his insights at the Gtalk event hosted by Gazzetta di Parma, analyzing the current state of Italian football.
Tudor’s impact at Juventus
Juventus opted to part ways with Thiago Motta after less than a year in charge, bringing in Tudor to lead the team through the remainder of the season.
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Tudor & Buffon 📸
“Igor understands the Juventus mentality very well,” said Buffon. “He has brought an injection of energy that the club really needed at this stage. As for what comes next, we’ll have to wait and see.”
“I’ve maintained since the summer that Napoli would be among the top two,” Buffon remarked. “Inter, on the other hand, are always a given in the title race because they possess the deepest and strongest squad.”
However, Buffon pointed out that the demanding fixture schedule could take its toll on Inter. “Playing crucial matches every three days could become a factor for them,” he noted. While Inter remain active in both the Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern Munich and the Coppa Italia semi-finals versus Milan, Napoli can channel all their energy into Serie A.
Parma’s fight for survival
Buffon also touched on the battle to avoid relegation, particularly regarding his former club Parma, who recently appointed Cristian Chivu as their new head coach.
Buffon at Parma 📸
“Parma are in a tight battle with Lecce to stay up,” he explained. “They seem to have a clear understanding of the challenge ahead. They may not be as attacking-minded as before, but they have found more balance. Their remaining fixtures are tough, but Parma have a history of performing well against big teams.”