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Revealed: Spalletti came very close to being appointed Juventus coach

Revealed: Spalletti came very close to being appointed Juventus coach

  • Jordan Russell (@JordRuss96)
Livorno and Certaldo are less than 90 kilometres apart, a distance which can be travelled in just over an hour. Yet the difference between Massimiliano Allegri and Luciano Spalletti could not be greater. Don’t think that it is merely two points in the league table, as they are two very different characters. That said, tonight’s match between Juventus and Inter will be a meeting of two fantastic coaches. It is amazing to think that, given events not so long ago, things could have been so much different. Spalletti to Juve was just a step away from becoming a reality.
 
The Bianconeri first approached Spalletti back in the summer of 2014 in the hectic aftermath of Antonio Conte’s departure from the Turin giants. He was the Scudetto holders’ first choice, having spent five seasons in Russia with Zenit. Roberto Mancini was second choice for Andrea Agnelli’s club, but neither option came to fruition and so former AC Milan boss Allegri was duly appointed. The rest, as they say, is history. The Livorno tactician has won three Scudetti, three Italian cups and has led his side to two Champions League finals.
 
It has not all been plain sailing for Allegri at Juve however, as he and the club were close to agreeing a mutual parting of the ways last summer. Had this happened, indeed Beppe Marotta was ready to entice Spalletti to Vinovo. However, shortly after the devastating loss to Real Madrid in Cardiff, Allegri signed a new contract with La Vecchia Signora until 2020. Just 48 hours later, Spalletti was spotted in La Pinetina having ratified an agreement with Inter during a trip to Nanjing where he met with ownership group Suning. How different things could have been…