Spalletti explains Milik omission from Juventus squads

Arkadiusz Milik’s position at Juventus looks increasingly uncertain after the Poland forward was left out of the club’s squads for both Serie A and the Europa League. Speaking after Juventus’ 1:1 draw with Milan, head coach Luciano Spalletti said the decision was shaped by squad construction rather than a lack of faith in the striker.

Milik left out despite return to training

Milik was not included on Juventus’ list for the league phase of the Europa League and was later omitted from the Serie A squad as well. That came despite his presence on the bench in matches against Frosinone Calcio and Parma.

Spalletti told Eleven Sports that Milik remains a player he values highly, but said the club’s planning in the transfer market did not unfold as expected. According to the Juventus coach, that left him needing to build a squad with cover across the pitch rather than carrying extra options in one area.

He also indicated that Milik had been dealing with some issues, although the striker is now feeling much better and taking part in training regularly.

Spalletti: squad balance forced the call

In his explanation, Spalletti made clear that the choice was a difficult one. He said he could not afford to keep three strikers at the expense of depth in other positions, adding that the decision had effectively left him in a worse situation because it meant excluding an important player.

That offers some context to a call that has inevitably raised questions around Milik’s immediate future in Turin. The fact he has been overlooked for Juventus’ main competitions this season is a significant setback for a player who has already built a substantial body of work at the club.

• Milik joined Juventus in August 2022
• He initially arrived on loan from Olympique Marseille
• Juventus later signed him permanently for 7.3 million euros
• He has played 77 matches for the club, scoring 17 goals and providing two assists

What next for Milik?

For now, there is no certainty over Milik’s club future. The source material indicates that a return to the Ekstraklasa does not appear imminent, even though his name has been linked in discussion with Gornik Zabrze and Widzew Lodz.

Milik himself has played down the idea of any immediate move, saying that while he remains in regular contact with his brother Lukasz Milik, the sporting director of Gornik, those conversations are family matters rather than transfer business.

What is clear is that Spalletti’s comments have sharpened the focus on Milik’s standing at Juventus. The coach has publicly acknowledged both the player’s quality and the difficulty of the decision, but the practical outcome remains the same: Milik has been left outside the club’s key lists, and that leaves his role at Juventus in serious doubt.