Juventus host Lazio at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin on Sunday at 19.45 UK time, 20.45 CEST. Before the Serie A match on 18 October, Luciano Spalletti said he would watch from the stands because of a ban and spoke about the team’s recovery after the trip to Vigo.
Ban keeps Spalletti off the touchline
Football Italia reported that Spalletti will watch the match from the stands on 18 October because he is serving a ban after his altercation with Cagliari coach Pisacane.
“I will watch from the stands and probably speak with my staff at half-time, but I trust the staff I have here at Juventus. I have the best assistant manager in the world, Marco Domenichini,” said Spalletti in his press conference.
On the incident, Spalletti said: “Some things were also said that are not fair. I did not go to Pisacane with the intention of arguing, nor did we argue. We looked at each other in an intense way, but I didn’t do anything.”
He added: “I was not tense, I just have selective fondness for people.”
He also said: “Perhaps sometimes I need to be more irritable, and so far I haven’t been irritable enough. Feeling that tension allows me to transfer more of it over to my players, because they see and feel my reactions. I would’ve liked to be ill-tempered…”
Recovery after the Vigo trip
Juventus are coming off a 2-1 Europa League comeback win away to Celta Vigo. Spalletti said Juventus only got back at 4.30am on Friday from their trip to Vigo.
“In physical terms, we didn’t do anything in training either yesterday or today, so we just had to list what to keep an eye on.”
He also said: “The trouble is you have no idea how the recovery process goes.”
Jeremie Boga is available and can play up to 30 minutes.
League form and Europa League record
Football Italia reported that Juventus have won both Europa League games so far this season and have a 100 per cent record in the competition.
Football Italia also reported that in Serie A Juventus managed one win, two draws and a defeat in the last four rounds.
Spalletti said: “The Europa League helps if you win, because if Juventus don’t win games, you get sucked into quicksand all over the place, and we need to be careful where we step.”
Comments on Lazio and outside pressure
“I feel that we ought to underline the great work done by Gennaro Gattuso at Lazio, especially considering what was said about him and the team going into the campaign,” said Spalletti in his press conference.
“I read and react to what happens, and notice the worst possible slant is given to everything I say…” said Spalletti.
Some of his remarks after the Cagliari game had suggested he might be thinking about retirement, but he assured the media that was not the case: “I won’t stop after Juventus, nor perhaps the job after that, so relax.”