Fabio Capello Drops Brutally Honest Juventus Verdict After ‘Flat’ Win Over Pafos
The Juve legend was not very impressed with the Bianconeri.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 12 December 2025
Juventus legend Fabio Capello has delivered a brutally honest verdict of the Bianconeri’s performance in their Champions League win over Pafos.
Fabio Capello slams ‘very flat’ Juventus
Juve ran out 2-0 winners over Pafos, but they didn’t open the scoring until midway through the second half.
Indeed, the visitors had the upper hand for most of the first half and could have easily taken the lead.
In one instance, goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio bailed Andrea Cambiaso out after the defender diverted the ball towards his own goal.
Pafos forward Anderson Silva also saw an effort bounce off the right-hand post.
However, Juve’s quality came through in the end as Weston McKennie fired his side ahead in the 67th minute.
The hosts then wrapped up the scoring six minutes later.
Kenan Yildiz – a “phenomenon” according to David Luiz – set up Jonathan David for a neat finish.
But while Capello was pleased to see Juve grind out the win, he wasn’t happy with how they performed for the most part.
“Spalletti, in his pre-match comments, said the important thing was to win,” Capello told Sky Sport Italia. “And he’s done that, so tonight he’s safe.
Here’s your man of the match 🇹🇷🏆#JuvePafos [2-0] #UCL pic.twitter.com/3m0QaG5dE6
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) December 10, 2025
“Let’s say that by adjusting his players’ positions he changed something tactically, he kind of reassessed a few things, and I think he’s found some solutions.
“But this Juventus we saw today is not the Juve everyone is expecting: very, very flat. They didn’t create… they created little. Very little.”
Capello also acknowledged that Juve rode their luck in the first half.
The veteran coach concluded that that the Bianconeri’s off-the-ball movement later on made the difference.
“They had two chances in the first half, compared with three for their opponents, maybe even more,” Capello continued.
“In that first half, luck was kind to Juventus, because the opposition had some really clear-cut chances.
“Their opponents were dangerous and then, I think with a couple of different players coming on and with some different positions on the pitch, the team found itself again a bit in terms of off-the-ball movement.
“And that’s what took them to this result.”
How Juventus fans reacted to their side’s win over Pafos
Juve supporters breathed a sigh of relief after the game, but they acknowledged that things must change going forward.
The formation came under scrutiny, with some fans saying three at the back is not suitable for Juve.
“It’s been four years that I’ve been saying that the 4-2-3-1 is the most beautiful module to watch, especially if you have wingers who cut inside,” one fan commented on Juve’s full-time X post.
“Enough with the 3-back defence.”
Good result, could be a better play. 4-2-3-1 is the way, or 4-3-3. Hope Spalletti uses as our module; no more 3 at the back. A lot to improve…..
— Leo Thomas (@leothomasr) December 10, 2025
Another said: “If you don’t switch to a fixed back four and the captain on the bench, it’s pure masochism.”
Juve skipper Manuel Locatelli also came for criticism, as noted above.
“Switch to 4-2-3-1, Loca dropped, and we started playing,” one fan wrote. “Is it a coincidence? Who knows…”
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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