Accusations of fear, coach criticism and the fans’ ultimate punishment! Nick Woltemade suffers a terrible debacle at Juventus
Juventus are in crisis mode after their 3-0 home defeat to Lazio. The comments from those involved and the fans’ reactions speak volumes.
With head coach Luciano Spalletti serving a suspension following an altercation with Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane, assistant Marco Domenichini took his place on the touchline. The Old Lady offered alarmingly little in attack. Oliver Provstgaard headed in, Gustav Isaksen scored from a tight angle and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru finished a late counterattack to seal the visitors' triumph.
Seven matches have brought just 11 points, leaving Juventus eight behind the leading pair of Inter Milan and Lazio. Predecessor Igor Tudor had 12 points at the same stage of last season, while Thiago Motta managed 13 over the comparable period of his tenure. The Italian record champions are going backwards.
After the final whistle, the dismal display against the Romans prompted questions about the Turin squad's mentality. Defensive leader Gleison Bremer did not hold back. "We put in a poor performance, so of course we are not happy to have represented the Juventus shirt in this way, but we must analyse our mistakes and get back on track immediately, because there is no time for anything else," the Brazilian told Sky Sport Italia.
Bremer continued: "We had chances and played well until their goal, so the fact that they scored with their first chance caused real frustration for us. That is something we need to get under control immediately."
Juventus lack stability and confidence
Asked about the players' responsibility, the centre-back grew more heated: "It's true, the coach gives instructions, but we are the ones who have to carry them out on the pitch. There are 11 players on the pitch, though, plus the five who come off the bench, I can't simply carry everyone along. I try to help them, I talk to them, but everyone has their own character. We can push them up to a point, but that's all, some have more character than others."
Some players appear to be struggling with the mental pressure. "When they hear boos, they retreat and become afraid. I know we have many new and young players. That doesn't mean I'm pointing the finger at the lads, but everyone is different. When things are going badly, some respond with determination, while others retreat. That's simply down to their personality," Bremer said.
Spalletti also spoke to DAZN Italia and sounded shaken by his team's display. Nick Woltemade came on for the second half but remained without a league goal for Juve. "It was certainly a weaker Juventus. A team that neither controlled the game nor had any ideas about how to shape it," he said.
Explaining the team's preparation, Spalletti said: "It's difficult even for us to explain, because we got back from Vigo at four o'clock on Friday morning and then had the players recover with the fitness coaches. We tried to change a few things. There were six new players, but we were too slow both in our legs and in our heads. In football, you see your opponent, you see the ball, and if you react too slowly, show no heart and cannot find a rhythm, tactics and systems become irrelevant."
Juventus fans leave stadium early
His sharpest criticism was for his players' attitude: "No pace, no ideas, no willingness to run, no desire to work hard. When you show weakness in challenges and let your head drop when things aren't going well, those are all things I didn't like."
Changes could follow. "We have to analyse this. There are only two possibilities: either we discuss how we speak to the team or how we work. Clearly, something has to change," Spalletti said. "I was surprised by this performance too, so I need to think about it carefully, because I haven't changed the way I speak to the players. Perhaps I need to analyse my own relationship with the team, because it is honest and fair. They will realise for themselves that what we showed today was not good enough."
Most Juve supporters left the sold-out Allianz Stadium before the final whistle. Those who stayed sent the team off with a deafening chorus of boos.
At the other end, the Romans celebrated in front of a packed away section. Lazio fans have boycotted their own home matches since the end of last season in protest against owner Claudio Lotito, hoping the loss of revenue will force a sale of the club. Gennaro Gattuso's side attract barely 9,000 spectators on average at their own stadium, yet the away section has sold out at all four matches on the road.
