Lois Openda maintains that his transfer to Juventus “wasn’t a mistake,” as it provided him the opportunity to enhance various aspects of his game.
The 26-year-old made the move to the Bianconeri last summer for a reported fee of €42.8 million from RB Leipzig, but struggled to make an impression under coaches Igor Tudor and Luciano Spalletti. Throughout the 2025-26 season, he started only nine out of 34 games, getting overshadowed by Dusan Vlahovic and Jonathan David while managing to score just two goals in all competitions.
This season, the Belgium international is on loan at Lyon and has already been involved in more goals (three: two goals and one assist) in just eight games than he did last year.
Despite facing difficulties at Juventus, which ultimately kept him out of Belgium’s World Cup squad, Openda believes it was a beneficial season.
“I had discussions with Damien Comolli, the club director at the time, who detailed how he wanted to utilize me in a challenging league,” Openda explained to L’Equipe. “In Italy, teams like Inter effectively use depth, while Roma are just starting to grasp it. The coach wanted me, but Vlahovic and David occupied my position. I had a good rapport with David, but the team wasn’t accustomed to a player making runs behind, and Vlahovic often held onto the ball. I tried to seize my opportunities, and while I did at times, as the season progressed, I realized I needed to move on to get playing time.”
He maintained, “It wasn’t a mistake, and it enabled me to work on elements I hadn’t focused on before. I fully understood what I was stepping into, and I’m confident that in different circumstances, it could have turned out better.”
Currently, Lyon has garnered eight points from their first four Ligue 1 matches this season and will face Rennes, who sit just ahead of them in the standings, on Saturday.
Fan Take: This story matters to soccer fans because it highlights the challenges players face in adapting to new environments and roles, which can significantly impact their careers. Openda’s journey underscores the importance of finding the right fit for players and how their development can be affected by their circumstances.
Source: www.soccernews.com
