Luciano Spalletti has told Juventus they still need to improve in pre-season if they want to be ready to compete at the top of Serie A 2026-27, and he expects Mattia Perin to start against Palermo. The call comes with Juventus into the final stretch of summer, where every friendly is being used to sharpen a squad that is still taking shape.
That is why Palermo Vs Juventus is drawing attention now. Juventus have won three of their five pre-season matches, but Spalletti is not treating that as proof the side is where it needs to be. After the loss to Inter, he pointed to hesitation in the first half and said the team responded better after the break, which is the sort of mixed performance that explains why he is still pushing for more.
Perin is expected to replace Michele Di Gregorio in goal for the penultimate summer friendly at Optus Stadium, while Federico Gatti will rest because of a slight muscle problem. Spalletti’s preference for Perin is a straightforward one: with pre-season still under way, he is using the match to spread minutes and manage the load, rather than treat it as a settled selection decision. Juventus also handed debuts against Inter to Randal Kolo Muani and Kerim Alajbegovic, although Alajbegovic missed a big late chance that could have changed the scoreline.
The warning from Spalletti sits beside the results for a reason. Juventus have won more than they have lost this summer, but one loss and a few encouraging moments do not erase the gap he still sees between where the team is now and the level needed to challenge at the top. He said the squad must keep adding both fitness and understanding, because that is what the preparation period is for, not because the work is already done.
Palermo offer a useful test. The clubs have not met since February 2017, when Juventus won 4-1 in Serie A and Paulo Dybala scored twice at Allianz Stadium. Palermo later dropped to the fourth tier before returning as a Serie B side under Filippo Inzaghi, and Spalletti made clear he expects a difficult night against an opponent with players who know Serie A and a coach he described as highly motivated. For Juventus, the immediate question is not whether Perin can do the job, but whether Spalletti’s first full season on the bench can begin to look like a side ready for the pressure that comes next.
