Luciano Spalletti Compares Juventus Star Kenan Yildiz to PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Luciano Spalletti, head coach of Juventus, has drawn a striking comparison between his promising forward Kenan Yildiz and Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Italian tactician, who previously worked with Kvaratskhelia during Napoli’s successful 2022-23 season, praises the Turkish player’s rare attacking creativity and unpredictability.

Shared Traits Between Two Dynamic Forwards

Spalletti believes that Yildiz operates on a similar wavelength to the Georgian winger he coached. He notes that both players possess a unique ability to unsettle defenses with their inventive style. Last season, the 21-year-old Yildiz was pivotal for the Bianconeri, contributing 14 goals and 10 assists. Unfortunately, his current season has been hampered by a fractured metatarsal injury from August, limiting him to just 69 minutes on the pitch so far.

The Madness of Invention

Speaking to Tuttosport, Spalletti highlighted the young forward’s instinctive brilliance: "Yildiz makes football shine. His every move is ingenious and breaks the system. When he starts, even he doesn’t necessarily have a plan of what he’ll do next. Sometimes, in training, I see the defenders predict his movement, and they still can’t stop him. He has the madness of invention. For me, he is comparable to Kvaratskhelia."

Maturity Beyond His Years

Spalletti also admires Yildiz’s calm leadership and maturity despite his youth. The manager described him as a "lovely guy, the boy next door type," who leads without much talking and thrives outside conventional tactical frameworks. He added, "He needs to play a bit more, but I see similarities in the unpredictability, the way he stays outside of the rules and timing you expect in football."

Juventus Eagerly Await Yildiz's Return

The Turin club currently sits seventh in Serie A as they prepare to face Cagliari after the international break. Spalletti must wait until December or later for Yildiz to fully recover and return to action. If the coach’s glowing praise rings true, Yildiz could provide the spark Juventus needs to re-enter the title race.