Spalletti admits mistake over limited use of Juventus signing Lois Openda
Quick summary
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti said he may have been wrong to give Lois Openda so little playing time in his debut season. With Dusan Vlahovic back from injury, Openda is still expected to play even less in the final games.
Full article
Attributed to Football ItaliaLuciano Spalletti insists Lois Openda has shown ‘outstanding’ commitment even if he hasn’t played much: ‘It’s another mistake I’ve made…’
Openda has had a disappointing debut season at the Allianz Stadium, only netting twice in 34 appearances across all competitions.
Spalletti: Openda ‘demonstrates outstanding professionalism’ The Belgium international joined Juventus on loan from RB Leipzig last summer, with an obligation to buy, and the clause was activated upon achieving a top-ten finish.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 01: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Juventus FC at Stadio Olimpico on March 01, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) Openda has played barely 1,100 minutes across all competitions with Juventus this season, and just 688 minutes under Spalletti since October.
Questioned on the Belgian’s lack of playing time this term, Spalletti replied (via Sky Sport ): “That is another mistake I’ve made. I have to make decisions, but I’m sure I’ll get something wrong.
SASSUOLO, ITALY – JANUARY 06: Loïs Openda of Juventus during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and Juventus FC at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on January 06, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) “He is committed and demonstrates outstanding professionalism. I haven’t played him much because I thought others could give me better results.”
Openda is expected to get even less playing time in the final three games of the season as Dusan Vlahovic is back from an injury and could even start against Lecce tomorrow, as Spalletti admitted during his press conference today.
Juventus paid €3m for Openda’s loan move, while the fee for his permanent transfer is €42m.
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What happened
Luciano Spalletti acknowledged in a press conference that he may have made a mistake by not using Lois Openda more at Juventus. The Belgian forward has scored only twice in 34 appearances and has logged limited minutes despite joining from RB Leipzig on a loan with an obligation to buy that has already been triggered. Spalletti nevertheless praised Openda's professionalism and commitment. The coach also indicated that Dusan Vlahovic's return from injury could further reduce Openda's role, including ahead of Juventus' match with Lecce.
Chance analysis
This matters mainly as a squad-selection signal rather than a major transfer development. Spalletti's comments suggest Openda remains behind other attacking options in Juventus' pecking order, while Vlahovic's return strengthens the likelihood of a more established first-choice attack. For football models, the key takeaway is reduced expectation of Openda minutes and a modest boost to Vlahovic's starting probability.
The likely effect is fewer attacking minutes for Openda and a stronger chance of Vlahovic leading Juventus' attack.
Treat this as a lineup hierarchy update: Openda's expected minutes fall while Vlahovic's role becomes more secure.