Worst rating on the pitch, and a lost duel on the Milan opener
Randal Kolo Muani never got going. Handed a start up front for Juventus on Sunday night in Serie A, the France international was kept quiet all evening. The game ended 1-1.
The Italian press did not bother with restraint. Gazzetta dello Sport gave him his team’s worst rating and called him too lightweight, pointing at the duel he lost before Milan’s opener. Sport Mediaset went harder still, crediting him with one decent pass to Conceicao across the whole match.
His direct rival did no better. Nick Woltemade came on in the 76th minute and made just as little impact. On that front at least, the French striker can breathe easy.
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Spalletti cracked the whip, then backed him anyway
Before kick-off, Luciano Spalletti had been blunt. He publicly reminded everyone that if his player had not been stringing matches together for the past two years, it was not an accident. Kolo Muani did not push back, insisting that playing remained his priority.
After the match, the mood swung completely. The Italian coach said he fully backed his striker and would keep him in the side until the end of the season. A clear show of support, and one that cut against the noise around him.
Because the fans have already rolled out the comparison that bites: Jonathan David, last season’s attacking flop in Turin. Juventus spent 38 million euros, plus a possible 12 million in bonuses, to bring Kolo Muani back. The return so far is zero goals.
Twenty months ago, this stadium loved him
The irony is in the numbers. In January 2025, during his first loan spell at Juventus, Kolo Muani scored 5 goals in his first 3 matches. The stadium had found its man.
Twenty months later, the welcome is icy. At 27, the striker has three games before the international break to get his account moving. After that, the Jonathan David comparison will be hard to shut down.
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