Navbar

SPALLETTI AND DERBIES

HeaderContent

Sport Judge Decisions, Serie A 2025/2026 - Matchday 16

Update shirt numbers Clubs Primavera 1 2025-2026

LATEST DOCUMENTS

LatestDocument

RelatedDocument

RELATED PLAYERS

RelatedPlayer

JUVENTUS

RELATED TEAMS

RelatedTeam

ShareButton

&lt;p&gt;Luciano Spalletti and derbies – a pairing that spans decades of Serie A, from Empoli to Turin. The Tuscan coach, now at the helm of Juventus, has lived through some of Italian football’s fiercest rivalries and is now preparing for his first all-Turin showdown, against a Torino side that hasn’t won at the Stadium for 34 years. Numbers and memories chart a managerial journey shaped by the league’s most iconic derbies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Beginning in Empoli: You Never Forget Your First&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;Spalletti’s first &lt;strong&gt;local derby&lt;/strong&gt; in Serie A came in the &lt;strong&gt;1997/98 season&lt;/strong&gt;, when his &lt;strong&gt;Empoli&lt;/strong&gt; stunned &lt;strong&gt;Fiorentina&lt;/strong&gt; 2–1 at the Franchi on Matchday 4. Batistuta opened the scoring for the hosts, but Tonetto and Martusciello turned it around. The return fixture ended 1–1, and both results proved decisive in securing Empoli’s second-ever top-flight survival.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Derby della Capitale: Thirteen Fiery Meetings&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;In Rome, Spalletti fully immersed himself in the passion and pressure of the Derby della Capitale – a rivalry that divides and unites the city in equal measure. Across two spells in charge of &lt;strong&gt;Roma&lt;/strong&gt;, he faced &lt;strong&gt;Lazio&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;13 times&lt;/strong&gt;, recording &lt;strong&gt;6 wins&lt;/strong&gt;, 5 defeats and 2 draws. His first derby, on 23 October 2005, finished 1–1 with goals from captains Totti and Rocchi. That spark lit the flame for that Roma team, who found momentum with three consecutive wins in the following weeks, beginning with victory over Inter at San Siro.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The return fixture ended &lt;strong&gt;2–0&lt;/strong&gt; to Roma, with goals from Taddei and Aquilani, while his first derby of the second spell was a statement win: &lt;strong&gt;4–1&lt;/strong&gt; over Pioli’s Lazio. In total, Spalletti’s Roma scored &lt;strong&gt;21 goals&lt;/strong&gt; and conceded 21 in these clashes, suffering the sting of a Coppa Italia semi-final exit but always imprinting his teams with identity, courage and purpose in matches charged with emotion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Milan Memories: The Derby della Madonnina&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;His move to Inter plunged Spalletti into another historic rivalry: the Derby della Madonnina. He oversaw five official meetings across Serie A and the Coppa Italia, &lt;strong&gt;winning three, drawing one and losing one&lt;/strong&gt;. His debut derby remains a classic: a &lt;strong&gt;thrilling 3–2 victory&lt;/strong&gt; sealed by a Mauro Icardi hat-trick, emblematic of both the brilliance and volatility of that Inter era.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The last came on Matchday 28 of the 2018/19 season, again ending 3–2, this time with AC Milan at home. The only defeat came in the Coppa Italia quarter-final through a Cutrone goal. Overall, Spalletti’s Inter &lt;strong&gt;scored seven&lt;/strong&gt; and conceded five across those derbies – a positive record overall.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now Turin: The Derby della Mole Awaits&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;figure data-asset-id=&#34;6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432&#34; data-image-id=&#34;6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/5e7fbbab-27ed-4fc7-bfe9-a4db4057cf34/Sito_HERO_spalletti_.jpg&#34; data-asset-id=&#34;6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432&#34; data-image-id=&#34;6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432&#34; alt=&#34;&#34;&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;After Rome and Milan, Spalletti now faces another emotionally charged chapter – his first &lt;strong&gt;Derby della Mole&lt;/strong&gt; as Juventus coach. The numbers favour him: Torino haven’t beaten Juventus away in &lt;strong&gt;34 years&lt;/strong&gt;, while Spalletti’s personal record against the Granata stands at &lt;strong&gt;14 wins, 5 draws and 6 losses&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His first home match in the league continues a positive recent trend – both Motta and Tudor began with home victories (against Como and Genoa, respectively). The goal is clear: to build on the winning start in Cremona and cement the identity of this Juventus side, rediscovering pride and purpose.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;Baroni’s Torino: Underdogs with a Dream&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;Torino, meanwhile, will be without head coach &lt;strong&gt;Marco Baroni&lt;/strong&gt; on the touchline due to &lt;strong&gt;suspension&lt;/strong&gt;, leaving assistant &lt;strong&gt;Giovanni Colucci&lt;/strong&gt; in charge. For Baroni, it would have been just his second city derby in Serie A, after facing &lt;strong&gt;Lazio&lt;/strong&gt; twice last season, which ended with a 2–0 defeat away and a 1–1 draw at home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s a rare opportunity for the Granata coach, still seeking his first derby win as a Serie A manager, and hoping to deliver a result the Torino faithful have awaited for generations. Emotions will run high: against a Juventus still finding its rhythm, this Derby della Mole promises intensity, pride, and that unmistakable tension only a derby can conjure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Photo Getty Images)&lt;/p&gt;

From Empoli to Juventus, Luciano Spalletti’s career has featured several great derbies that have defined his path in Serie A

Content

Composite93

Serie A

Fiorentina must beat Udinese, who in turn are chasing points to dream big.

Fiorentina face Udinese aiming to bounce back

With the final four matches set to be played in January, Genoa and Atalanta bring the pre-Christmas round of matches to a close.

Genoa-Atalanta brings MD16 to a (temporary) close

Sassuolo host Torino with European dreams on their mind, the Granata will look to get closer.

Sassuolo and Torino aiming for consistency

A key clash at the bottom of the table takes place between Cagliari and Pisa at the Unipol Domus

Cagliari-Pisa, survival points at stake

Big match: Juventus host Roma in a direct clash that cannot be missed.

Juventus-Roma, Scudetto dreams 

Lazio and Cremonese, separated by two points, kick off the pre-Christmas round of league fixtures.

Lazio-Cremonese: Matchday 16 begins

The referees for the Serie A matches scheduled from December 20th to December 21th

THE REFEREES FOR THE 16TH ROUND

Matchday 15 of Serie A adds more drama to the race to the top of the table and showcases beautiful displays of skill, masterpiece goals, and victories by the narrowest margins.

Masterpiece Goals and Narrow Wins

Both sides look to bounce back after defeats last week

Matchday 15 concludes with Roma vs. Como

Inter arrive at Marassi looking to assert themselves against an improving Genoa side.

Inter visits Genoa to sustain title pressure

ContentRepresentation

SocialFooter

SponsorFooter

Footer

FooterBottom

Radio TV Serie A

RadioBox

Luciano Spalletti and derbies – a pairing that spans decades of Serie A, from Empoli to Turin. The Tuscan coach, now at the helm of Juventus, has lived through some of Italian football’s fiercest rivalries and is now preparing for his first all-Turin showdown, against a Torino side that hasn’t won at the Stadium for 34 years. Numbers and memories chart a managerial journey shaped by the league’s most iconic derbies. <h2>The Beginning in Empoli: You Never Forget Your First</h2>Spalletti’s first local derby in Serie A came in the 1997/98 season, when his Empoli stunned Fiorentina 2–1 at the Franchi on Matchday 4. Batistuta opened the scoring for the hosts, but Tonetto and Martusciello turned it around. The return fixture ended 1–1, and both results proved decisive in securing Empoli’s second-ever top-flight survival. <h2>The Derby della Capitale: Thirteen Fiery Meetings</h2>In Rome, Spalletti fully immersed himself in the passion and pressure of the Derby della Capitale – a rivalry that divides and unites the city in equal measure. Across two spells in charge of Roma, he faced Lazio 13 times, recording 6 wins, 5 defeats and 2 draws. His first derby, on 23 October 2005, finished 1–1 with goals from captains Totti and Rocchi. That spark lit the flame for that Roma team, who found momentum with three consecutive wins in the following weeks, beginning with victory over Inter at San Siro.The return fixture ended 2–0 to Roma, with goals from Taddei and Aquilani, while his first derby of the second spell was a statement win: 4–1 over Pioli’s Lazio. In total, Spalletti’s Roma scored 21 goals and conceded 21 in these clashes, suffering the sting of a Coppa Italia semi-final exit but always imprinting his teams with identity, courage and purpose in matches charged with emotion. <h2>Milan Memories: The Derby della Madonnina</h2>His move to Inter plunged Spalletti into another historic rivalry: the Derby della Madonnina. He oversaw five official meetings across Serie A and the Coppa Italia, winning three, drawing one and losing one. His debut derby remains a classic: a thrilling 3–2 victory sealed by a Mauro Icardi hat-trick, emblematic of both the brilliance and volatility of that Inter era.The last came on Matchday 28 of the 2018/19 season, again ending 3–2, this time with AC Milan at home. The only defeat came in the Coppa Italia quarter-final through a Cutrone goal. Overall, Spalletti’s Inter scored seven and conceded five across those derbies – a positive record overall. <h2>Now Turin: The Derby della Mole Awaits</h2><figure data-asset-id="6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432" data-image-id="6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432"><img src="https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/5e7fbbab-27ed-4fc7-bfe9-a4db4057cf34/Sito_HERO_spalletti_.jpg" data-asset-id="6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432" data-image-id="6c3f793a-f3df-489e-853a-015afe8f9432" alt=""></figure>After Rome and Milan, Spalletti now faces another emotionally charged chapter – his first Derby della Mole as Juventus coach. The numbers favour him: Torino haven’t beaten Juventus away in 34 years, while Spalletti’s personal record against the Granata stands at 14 wins, 5 draws and 6 losses.His first home match in the league continues a positive recent trend – both Motta and Tudor began with home victories (against Como and Genoa, respectively). The goal is clear: to build on the winning start in Cremona and cement the identity of this Juventus side, rediscovering pride and purpose. <h2>Baroni’s Torino: Underdogs with a Dream</h2>Torino, meanwhile, will be without head coach Marco Baroni on the touchline due to suspension, leaving assistant Giovanni Colucci in charge. For Baroni, it would have been just his second city derby in Serie A, after facing Lazio twice last season, which ended with a 2–0 defeat away and a 1–1 draw at home.It’s a rare opportunity for the Granata coach, still seeking his first derby win as a Serie A manager, and hoping to deliver a result the Torino faithful have awaited for generations. Emotions will run high: against a Juventus still finding its rhythm, this Derby della Mole promises intensity, pride, and that unmistakable tension only a derby can conjure.(Photo Getty Images)

SPALLETTI AND DERBIES | News

SPALLETTI AND DERBIES

From Empoli to Juventus, Luciano Spalletti’s career has featured several great derbies that have defined his path in Serie A

RELATED ARTICLES

SPALLETTI AND DERBIES | News