Tudor provides update on Bremer and Kolo Muani ahead of Juventus season opener | OneFootball

On Sunday evening, Juventus kick off their 2025-26 Serie A campaign at the Allianz Stadium, welcoming Carlos Cuesta’s Parma as Igor Tudor’s Bianconeri look to get their season off to a winning start.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, with quotes via IlBianconero, Tudor underlined the excitement of returning to competitive action, “These are great emotions. I like when you play and there is something at stake. I don’t like pre-season, the friendlies. The team is ready, we want to start well. The players have trained well and the feelings are positive.”

Tudor on Juventus captains and Koopmeiners latest

A lot of focus in recent weeks has been on Teun Koopmeiners, who had a disappointing first season with the Old Lady after his €55m move from Atalanta last summer. Tudor heaped praise on the Dutchman, offering encouragement as he enters his second season in Turin: “He played a great match in Bergamo, he’s important for us, he’ll have a big season, even if a lot has already been said about him.”

TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 12: Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Juventus and Lecce at Allianz Stadium on April 12, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Leadership within the squad has also been clarified, with Manuel Locatelli confirmed to be keeping the captain’s armband: “I’m happy he is here with us, he’s the captain. We’ll start again with the captain. The vice-captain will be Bremer, then there are Yildiz, Thuram and Gatti. This is the group of captains and this is the hierarchy.”

Tudor: ‘Bremer will play, delighted with Jonathan David’

Bremer returns to the Juventus squad this season, having suffered a nasty injury that kept him out for a large chunk of last season. On the Brazilian’s readiness, Tudor confirmed: “We know his value on and off the pitch, everything is going to plan. He’s at a good enough level to play and tomorrow he will play. It will take a couple of games, not just for him but for everyone, because the preparation was a bit short. But we will have a good game tomorrow.”

The coach then evaluated his attack, “Everyone moved well but we lacked a bit of freshness in this preparation, even with two good wins. I expect more freshness and always something extra. We must push forward with as many players as possible but without losing balance or risking counters. Over time, the connections and understanding will improve, but we must always stay sharp.”

Jonathan David scores for Juventus against Atalanta in a pre-season friendly (@juventus)

Jonathan David, one of the Old Lady’s new signings this summer, earned specific praise from the coach: “He’s a good player, very focused, applied and that is what I like from strikers. When you tell him something, he does it. In the area he moves well, he is always dangerous. I’m happy with him. A good guy, a real professional.”

Tudor not focused on Kolo Muani links

Juventus have been linked with bringing back French forward Randal Kolo Muani to the club, after he spent the second half of last season on loan with the Bianconeri from Ligue 1 giants PSG. However, Tudor brushed off the transfer chatter today, “I’m happy with the squad I have. The market is complicated but I focus on coaching. I trust my club, they know my thoughts. This is a good group of players and good guys.”

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 01: Randal Kolo Muani #20 of Juventus FC reacts during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Real Madrid CF and Juventus FC at Hard Rock Stadium on July 01, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Tudor was later pressed again on the market, asked about the futures of Dusan Vlahovic and Kolo Muani, to which the coach replied: “I don’t know what will happen. I trust the management. We evaluate the team honestly week by week, because a squad is a living organism that never stays the same for ten months.”

Finally, the Bianconeri boss managed expectations for the upcoming season, “For five years Juventus haven’t finished first or second. Saying we will be first, second or eighth doesn’t change a thing – they’re just words. These games of ‘favourites’ make me laugh. It’s smoke. The only thing that matters is working well. They say we are worth of fourth, fifth or sixth – that can only be a motivator.”