Luciano Spalletti brushed aside discussions about his Juventus contract, expressing his pleasure at reuniting with his former player, whom he affectionately calls “son,” Daniele De Rossi. However, he also lamented the Italian national team’s lingering disappointment following their failure to qualify for the World Cup, stating the players are “tied to disappointment like a leash.”
Juventus is scheduled to host Genoa on Monday at 17:00 UK time (18:00 CEST).
Heading into the international break, Juventus found themselves tied for fifth place with Roma, three points behind a high-flying Como. This sets the stage for an intense fight to secure Champions League qualification.
Spalletti Prioritizes Juventus Objectives
During his press conference, Spalletti emphasized the critical importance of the season’s final stretch. “This is a crucial sprint to the finish, but for Juventus, operating at this standard, every game is a final,” he stated.
He underscored the necessity for maximum effort with no margin for error. “We practically need to win every single match, starting with a very challenging game against Genoa, to achieve our goals,” Spalletti added.
Reports had circulated that Spalletti would sign a new contract with Juventus during the break, but no official announcement has yet been made.
Addressing questions about his contract situation, Spalletti remarked, “I don’t understand the intense focus on this. Our relationship is perfectly fine, and there will be a natural time to discuss it, not necessarily right now. It has to come organically.”
Vlahovic returned from a significant injury a couple of weeks ago and might potentially feature in the starting XI on Monday.
Spalletti noted, “He’s trained well and is available, though I doubt he’ll be able to start. He can certainly contribute if needed.”
He also praised Jeremie Boga: “Jeremie Boga has clearly demonstrated his capabilities; he’s a very fast player with explosive bursts of pace, though he tends to avoid significant physical contact. We are delighted to have him here.”
Genoa is currently managed by Daniele De Rossi, who previously played under Spalletti during his tenure at Roma.
Speaking about De Rossi, Spalletti stated, “Daniele is like a football son to me; I care for him deeply, and I believe he feels the same way about me. However, as in any father-son dynamic, there were times I probably got on his nerves.”
He added, “This Genoa team perfectly reflects De Rossi’s characteristics and mentality, which is great to see.”
Inevitably, the conversation shifted to Italy’s disappointing failure to qualify for their third consecutive World Cup, having lost the play-offs to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This topic was particularly poignant given that Spalletti had initiated the qualification campaign but was replaced by Gennaro Gattuso after just two games.
Spalletti commented on the World Cup outcome: “Naturally, those who qualified returned to their bases happier, while those who didn’t are still bound by disappointment.”
“I know everyone involved and how much love and passion they invested in this. I am deeply saddened by what occurred, but I also hope that people listen to all sorts of advice and begin to plan properly for the future.”
He raised a crucial question for Italian football: “We need to ask ourselves if we genuinely prioritize extracting value from local talent. While the presence of many foreign owners in Italian football is positive, we must question their commitment to maximizing the potential of Italian players. Of course, it’s also entirely right to seek out the best talent from other nations.”
Spalletti concluded, “I believe Italian mothers continue to produce talents akin to Baggio, Totti, Del Piero, and Cannavaro did in the past. We must ensure we are in a position to effectively nurture and utilize all the talent that more mothers bring into the world.”
