Juventus beat Lecce 2-0 after Spalletti switched to a 3-5-2
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The gist
Juventus beat Lecce 2-0 away with first-half goals from Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz.
The win eases pressure on coach Luciano Spalletti after a 3-0 loss to Lazio.
Background
Juventus are a Turin-based Serie A club, and Luciano Spalletti is their head coach. Pressure on Spalletti rose after Lazio beat them 3-0 in Turin, leaving Juventus with three wins in their last seven matches in all competitions. Since that loss, Spalletti has switched to a 3-5-2 formation, which he says brought solidity. Douglas Luiz, a midfielder signed from Aston Villa for €50m in summer 2024, scored his first competitive goal for the club at Lecce.
How it unfolded
- Oct 22, 2026Juventus, Europa League table-toppers, prepare to host Rennes, having lost 3-0 to Lazio at the weekend; Francisco Conceicao dislocated his shoulder against Lazio and joins several long-term absentees.
- Oct 23, 2026Juventus draw 2-2 with Rennes in the Europa League and sit 8th in Serie A with 11 points.
- Oct 25, 2026Juventus win 2-0 away at Lecce in Serie A through first-half goals from Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz, the latter's first competitive goal for the club.
- Oct 27, 2026Spalletti says Juventus must win matches and put in convincing performances ahead of the Matchday 9 trip to Genoa on October 28.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Spalletti says the new system brings solidity and a better team performance, but that the second half against Lecce went backwards and the side must find the right tactical solutions and dispel doubts mentally.
- Player
- Douglas Luiz says the team is happy with the win and goals but slept a bit in the second half and must play better for the whole game.
- Analysts
- A journalist cited in the coverage says the switch to a 3-5-2 formation has made Juventus stronger, particularly at the back.