Luciano Spalletti feels Juventus earned a ‘double victory’ over Roma, by beating them and in addition studying from their aggressive method, even when he criticised Edon Zhegrova’s ‘liquid’ defending.
The Bianconeri knew this was an enormous take a look at of their ambitions, as a defeat would’ve left them seven factors adrift of the highest 4.
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As a substitute, Francisco Conceicao and Lois Openda acquired the objectives and take them inside a degree of the Giallorossi.
But it was that late Tommaso Baldanzi objective conceded on the again publish that the majority irritated Spalletti, with Zhegrova’s error the catalyst.
Spalletti has reward and criticism for Juventus
BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, appears on previous to the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and Juventus FC at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photograph by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photos)
“A soccer match is like an empty field, you may’t simply fill it with your individual qualities, you’ve acquired to additionally put in a number of the uncomfortable belongings you don’t take pleasure in doing,”
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“For instance, within the second half Yildiz dropped again and coated that flank. His opponents understand how good he’s, however I don’t assume he but realises how good he’s, nor how he’s already perceived by the opposite gamers.
“He does the work that he must do. If you end up going through a group like Roma who’re balanced, aggressive, who swarm at you with the third defender, the wing-back and one other, if you happen to don’t have Yildiz and Conceicao serving to the defence, then they’ll break by.
“Properly, Zhegrova is a participant who at this second can’t do this defensive work. If you will get him working at opponents going ahead, he will be lethal. So I’ve to maintain the ball ready the place he solely has to try this. If I can’t, then we grow to be susceptible.
“I don’t imagine Zhegrova will ever have the ability to defend solidly, these aren’t his traits. When he has to defend, he turns into liquid,” added Spalletti.
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“He can run again into place, however typically you’ve acquired to cling on to your opponent, to make it a bodily duel. It’s not his fashion.”
Edon Zhegrova arrives for his Juventus medical.
Spalletti additionally took time to reward Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, who though they didn’t create as many possibilities, did see numerous the ball within the first half.
“Roma are a facet who will maintain churning and churning, whereas we aren’t like that, we now have moments the place we drop out of the sport, the place we lose the ball cheaply, and lose sight of their wing-backs. They swap back and forth, so if we don’t handle to funnel them in a single course, we dissipate numerous power chasing them down.
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“Even when they weren’t all that harmful, their tempo, consistency, solidity, all that triggered us issues within the first half. We additionally didn’t benefit from the counter-attacks that opened up. Their fixed strain, it wears you down, and also you don’t have the power wanted to go on the counter.
“Gasperini’s groups create these mini-prisons that you just really feel like it’s a must to escape of, there’s all the time somebody in your again.”
TURIN, ITALY – DECEMBER 02: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, appears on previous to the Serie C match between Ternana Calcio and Juventus Subsequent Gen at Allianz Stadium on December 02, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photograph by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Photos)
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It’s the second consecutive huge win for Juve, who had additionally leapfrogged Bologna with final week’s 1-0 outcome on the Stadio Dall’Ara.
Each Francisco Conceicao and Gleison Bremer, the defender along with his first begin for the reason that meniscus tear on September 27, went off with slight muscular points.
Juventus appear to be discovering their toes beneath Spalletti, as they’ve gained six of their final seven aggressive matches, shedding solely to Napoli.
Contemplating the fixture record has no extra head-to-head clashes arising, is that a chance for Juve to shut up on the highest?
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“I really feel like biting you once you ask me issues like that,” Spalletti instructed the interviewer with amusing.
“What does that imply, no huge video games? They’re all troublesome now. Profitable, and studying from these groups who you handle to beat, characterize a double victory, as a result of in addition they provide you with self-belief and the information you may combat it out with anybody.
“We pushed to the very finish, and even when conceding that late objective, the group wished extra. Now we are going to maintain working and hopefully attempt to claw again some extra misplaced floor.”
Press Room | Feedback after Juventus-Roma