Spalletti Demands Juventus Be 'Solid and Unpredictable' at Celta Vigo as Rotation Looms
Luciano Spalletti has told his Juventus players they must become a 'solid' team and add an element of surprise when they travel to Celta Vigo in the Europa League on Thursday, warning that the Bianconeri cannot afford any weak moments against Claudio Giraldez's side.
Juventus opened their Europa League campaign with a commanding 5-0 demolition of NEC, but convincing performances have otherwise been hard to come by this season. They meet a Celta Vigo outfit that began its own European adventure with a surprise 1-0 away defeat to Omonia Nicosia, conceding the only goal in the 88th minute.
The match kicks off at the Estadio Balaidos in Vigo on Thursday at 20.00 UK time (21.00 CEST).
Spalletti to ring the changes in Vigo
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Spalletti made clear that wholesale changes are on the way, framing the competition as a chance to widen his squad's experience.
“This competition gives us the possibility of expanding our knowledge of the group, because we need to play some new faces and allow others to recuperate for the next match,” he said.
“We go into this competition the same way we do any tournament, as we must always battle to get as far as possible. There are teams in this competition that could easily have been in the Champions League and narrowly missed out, but are built for that level.”
Federico Gatti and Nick Woltemade are among those expected to be handed starts in Spain, and the coach insisted rotation is a question of squad strength rather than preference.
“It is fundamental that we change because we have a strong squad, we do not have 11 starters and 11 reserves,” Spalletti said. “Gatti deserves a chance to play and a player like Nick can be very useful tomorrow.”
'No fear, nor pressure' against Giraldez's Celta
Spalletti paid tribute to Celta's coach while stressing that Juventus must live up to the standards expected of their club.
“Claudio Giraldez is a very good coach and he sets his team out in an interesting way, so we need to be at the right level that is fitting for our club,” he continued.
“There is no fear, nor pressure upon us. Giraldez has shown he can field a team with quality and experience, so we cannot afford moments where we seem weak.”
Tactical flexibility and the push for solidity
Pressed on whether he would line up with a back three or a back four, Spalletti was deliberately non-committal, arguing that unpredictability could be a weapon.
“They allow you to get a grip on your reference point if you want to go and press them, but when they have the ball, we will be forced to act in a certain way,” he explained.
“When we have the ball, we'll try not to give them such clear reference points, so we're a little more unpredictable.”
The Juventus boss, a Scudetto winner with Napoli who has not enjoyed comparable success in cup competitions, said he is driven by the chance to go deep in Europe, but cautioned against chasing trophies recklessly.
“I miss that, but there are many different things I am interested in doing. We all must play to win every game and go all the way, but naturally that doesn't mean creating chaos. We've got to deal with the different strain of various tournaments.”
“We must be able to overcome the moments of the match, and if you don't have balance, that becomes extra difficult. We need to become a solid team,” he added. “That also comes from a strong mentality, so we are working towards solidity.”
Spalletti backs Inter and Napoli after European setbacks
Turning to Italian football's wider struggles after heavy Champions League defeats for both Inter and Napoli the previous night, Spalletti argued the reaction has been overblown.
“These things can happen, I feel it is a bit exaggerated what has been written after the result of a single match. I am convinced that teams like Inter and Napoli will find the counter-measures to secure qualification.”
Touchline ban and denial of threats
Spalletti also addressed the one-match Serie A touchline ban handed to him for his altercation with Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane, maintaining he did nothing worthy of censure and denying reports that he made physical threats.
“I accept it, because that's what they decided, but I did nothing at all. Nothing, nothing, nothing,” he said. “Anyone who talked about me saying I'd slap someone was lying.”