The Ronaldo signing was a perfect storm of ambition meeting terrible timing. Juventus had built a sustainable model over a decade, then threw it all away chasing a Champions League trophy that never came. What kills me is that they had all the data showing this would backfire. A 33 year old, no matter how elite, doesnt fit a club trying to build for the next generaton. The wage structure collapse was predictable. Every other player in that dressing room saw Ronaldo's salary and rightfully demanded more. Then COVID hit and exposed just how fragile the entire operation was. The fact that they're still dealing with the fallout in 2025, still paying legal fees, still under FFP scrutiny, shows this wasnt just a bad signing, it was institutional malpracitce. Spalletti inherits a club that traded its identity for a trophy chase that failed spectaculary.
The Ronaldo signing was a perfect storm of ambition meeting terrible timing. Juventus had built a sustainable model over a decade, then threw it all away chasing a Champions League trophy that never came. What kills me is that they had all the data showing this would backfire. A 33 year old, no matter how elite, doesnt fit a club trying to build for the next generaton. The wage structure collapse was predictable. Every other player in that dressing room saw Ronaldo's salary and rightfully demanded more. Then COVID hit and exposed just how fragile the entire operation was. The fact that they're still dealing with the fallout in 2025, still paying legal fees, still under FFP scrutiny, shows this wasnt just a bad signing, it was institutional malpracitce. Spalletti inherits a club that traded its identity for a trophy chase that failed spectaculary.