Spalletti pairs Kolo Muani and Woltemade for first time as Juventus face Rennes test
Luciano Spalletti confirmed his two big forwards will start together against Rennes, days after a heated dressing-room meeting followed Juventus's 3-0 defeat to Lazio.
Luciano Spalletti has confirmed that Randal Kolo Muani and Nick Woltemade will start together for Juventus for the first time, in Thursday's Europa League league-phase match against Rennes, according to Football Italia.
The pair have already appeared in the same matches this season, but never from kickoff. Putting both in the starting eleven marks a shift for Spalletti, who has generally used Kolo Muani and Woltemade as alternatives rather than as a strike partnership.
Why two strikers changes Juventus's attacking geometry
Fielding both forwards together effectively asks Juventus to build around a front two rather than a lone striker supported by a number ten, altering how the team occupies the final third. Woltemade offers the physical presence to compete for long balls and hold up possession, while Kolo Muani's game is built on movement in behind and link play between the lines.
Playing them simultaneously forces Spalletti to find a structure that gives both room to operate without duplicating function, since two players drawn to similar zones can crowd each other out rather than stretch the opposition. Spalletti said the players themselves had expressed a willingness to add more variety to the side's play, and pairing two different profiles up front is one direct way to try to deliver that variety in the final third.
The decision also has a bearing on how Juventus build from deeper areas. A genuine front two gives midfielders two distinct passing targets in different channels, which can help against a side set up in a mid-block, though it can equally reduce central control if neither forward drops to link possession.
The dressing room spoke after Bremer's criticism
The pairing arrives in the context of a tense week at Juventus. Captain Gleison Bremer had strongly criticised his teammates following the 3-0 home defeat to Lazio in Serie A, and the squad held a meeting the following day to address it, Football Italia reported.
Spalletti described encouraging the players to talk at length so he could gather information and help them sustain their level during matches. “The players are fully engaged with what we are discussing,” he said, via Sky Sport Italia, adding that he had largely stayed silent and let the group speak.
“Their comments confirmed their honesty and professionalism,” Spalletti said. “They showed a willingness to offer more and bring more variety to our play.” Asked whether Bremer had spoken in that meeting, Spalletti said the defender explained his comments and that the squad accepted them because of the relationship within the dressing room.
Whether that conversation translates into a more cohesive performance against Rennes is the immediate test. A team that has just aired its grievances in private still has to show the change in structure and intensity on the pitch, and a front two that does not function as intended would undercut the message of the meeting rather than reinforce it.
Rennes bring pace, power and the league's top scorer
Juventus have taken six points from their first two Europa League matches, a contrast with their Serie A form, where they have already lost twice in seven league games. Spalletti was asked to explain the gap between the two competitions and declined to offer a single cause.
“There's no specific reason,” he said. “Every match has its own history, and you have to react to what the opposition brings each time.” He added that Juventus need to be clearer in deciding when to press high and when to sit in a deeper block, and more decisive once that choice is made.
That distinction matters against Rennes specifically. Spalletti described the French side as strong in transition and physically direct, with fast attackers and Ligue 1's top scorer, Lepaul. Rennes sit sixth in their domestic league, one point off top spot, which Spalletti read as a sign of a team playing with confidence.
A side built to counter quickly punishes hesitation in the press: step out too early and space opens in behind for Rennes' attackers to exploit on the break; sit too deep and Juventus cede control of midfield to a team with enthusiasm and momentum. Spalletti framed Thursday's match as a test of maturity, saying Juventus must be defined by their attitude rather than by individual moments.
Juventus host Rennes on Thursday looking to make it three wins from three in the league phase, with the Kolo Muani-Woltemade pairing and the fallout from the Lazio defeat both likely to shape how the performance is read.