Juventus: “We need to be more ruthless. Red card at Cagliari? Anyone who says it was a slap is lying. I want to go all the way in ‘Champions 2’. Woltemade is an unconventional centre-forward”
Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti spoke to the press ahead of his side's matchday two Europa League league-phase clash with Celta Vigo.
Describing the competition as "Champions 2", the Tuscan coach said Juventus still aim to go all the way. Spalletti plans plenty of rotation and said Woltemade and Gatti will play. As in the league, though, his side need more "venom" to make the most of certain moments.
Turnover
"This competition gives us the chance to get to know the squad better. I need to give some players who are new since last time a chance to play, and rest others. This competition will help us work better with the whole squad. We'll face whatever comes our way and deal with every situation to go as far as possible, and that doesn't frighten us."
Celta Vigo and “Champions 2”
"In Champions 2, there are teams who only narrowly missed out on qualification. The Celta manager is very young and deserves praise because he has shown he can field a team with quality. There will be no room for error, because they could exploit our weaker moments. Everyone needs to perform at a high level and demand of themselves that they live up to Juventus standards."
Gatti and Woltemade
"Gatti deserves to play because of what he has shown in the time we have given him. Nick (Woltemade, editor's note) will be used tomorrow evening. It is right to do that because we also need to rest the team. It is not just this week that we have three matches; this will continue for a while. If we do not make changes, how will we make it to the end?"
The venom is missing
"We are not ruthless enough when the match presents us with a chance that could change everything. When that moment comes, we must not hesitate; we must demand a solution right then and there. It is in moments like these that many results are secured. We do not have enough bite."
How mistakes are corrected
"The day after a match, we do our analysis in the video room. That's where we have to talk about what happened and what we want to go and get. I prepare something to say, and then there's what happens in the work we do during the week. In training, we have to include the things that help with learning and ring the alarm bell. The match tells its story, and then there's a discussion where the players can speak and where we can still learn something."
Woltemade’s role
"He can play as a centre-forward who contributes to build-up play, arrives from deep and occupies the attacking midfield area and sometimes midfield.
At 3 or at 4?
"They are an organised phase in both phases, which will require us to pick up their players if we want to press them hard. They are good at playing 3-4-2-1, and we’ll end up there from time to time. But there are two phases, and when we have the ball, we’ll try to play our own game."
The post-Cagliari suspension
"I did nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. Anyone who said there was a slap was lying. It is completely false. I did nothing. Thank you for keeping me in check at times like these. If I go into battle mode, I get into that mindset. If I need to give the team intensity and effectiveness and I see something is missing, I become more demanding. The team will know how to play well even without me on the bench, and my staff are highly qualified and experienced."
