Luciano Spalletti has cautioned Juventus, stating they “had to be wary” during their 0-0 draw with Milan. He believes the fight for a Champions League spot will remain a close contest until the very end of the season.
Juventus missed a significant opportunity to close the gap on third-placed Milan with a victory. However, they also had to keep a close eye on their pursuers, Como and Roma, in the ongoing race for Champions League qualification.
Key moments in the match included Khephren Thuram’s disallowed goal for an offside position and Alexis Saelemaekers hitting the crossbar for Milan, who came closest to scoring.
Spalletti’s tactical observations
Spalletti commented on Juventus’s performance, noting their slow and predictable approach in the first half. “We continued our journey, we tried to take the initiative, a bit too slowly and predictably in the first half, we never managed to get past their men, so they were always in position,” he told DAZN Italia.
He emphasized the need for vigilance against Milan. “You have to be wary with Milan, as you feel like you are in complete control, and then they suddenly burst forward with three or four to make it difficult for you. The danger is when you feel comfortable against them.”
Spalletti also discussed their defensive strategy to counter Milan’s counter-attacks. “When building out from the back, we worked on the preventative marking to ensure those counter-attacks didn’t happen. There were a few situations where we could’ve done better, including a foul on Jonathan David, but it was missed.”
Jonathan David’s performance and fitness concerns
Regarding Jonathan David, Spalletti acknowledged his technical ability in duels when not under intense physical pressure. “If there isn’t a lot of physical contact, he can get out of duels with technical quality, but if you press him physically, he struggles more. He runs so much, you cannot doubt his dynamism, pressing on Modric, Gabbia and Maignan constantly, he brings results. Naturally, he’s not someone who can run with pace or take men on, but when collaborating with the team, he’s perfect at that.”
However, he noted the need for better support for David. “We needed to create more density in support to help him out, as today especially in the first half, we left him a little too isolated,” said Spalletti.
Dusan Vlahovic and Kenan Yildiz were introduced late in the game due to injury concerns. Spalletti explained their limited involvement: “When the team had more control in the second half and pushed Milan back, Vlahovic’s presence could’ve helped, but he only came back to training with the team on Friday. Kenan too struggled when he had to make two changes of pace, you could see he wasn’t in great shape.”
He reiterated the cautious approach to Vlahovic’s return from a long-term injury. “With Vlahovic, he was coming off a very long injury, he got hurt last time when warming up on the touchline, so we can’t rush him. The future depends also on the present, so we can’t run unnecessary risks.”
The tight race for Champions League
The 0-0 draw followed a similar scoreline in their previous encounter this season. With Roma and Como now just three points behind Juventus, the race for a Champions League spot remains wide open with four rounds remaining.
Spalletti anticipates a close finish. “I think it will go down to the wire or very close to it, because these are the games. Roma and Como won, so we still have quite a few matches left to win before we can deserve our place in that tournament,” he added.
He stressed the importance of performance in the final stages of the season. “It’s time for the final sprint, and at this stage is where the fatigue of a long season starts to build up, that is where you can tell who belongs at Juventus and who doesn’t.”
Spalletti concluded by emphasizing the club’s core values. “We must confirm the culture of self-discipline, hard work and determination that inhabits this club, giving our all every day and letting nothing go by.”
Despite the draw, Juventus extended their unbeaten streak in Serie A to eight matches. Notably, they have conceded only one goal in their last seven league games.
