Luciano Spalletti shared his thoughts following Juventus’ hard‑fought win over Parma, touching on Kenan Yildiz’s condition, the team’s attitude, and the club’s transfer situation. The Bianconeri manager praised his players for their unity and resilience, while clarifying the fitness concerns surrounding the young Turkish forward.
Speaking at the post‑match press conference, Spalletti addressed Yildiz’s minor injury:
“This is what you said. I only said he was struggling to walk a little. I trusted what he told me. He was touching his adductor and said he’d make it to half‑time before assessing it. When the muscle cooled down, he felt some pain. The medical staff say it’s nothing serious, but he might miss a couple of matches since they come so close together.”
Team Spirit Over Individual Brilliance
Without Yildiz on the pitch, Juventus still managed to deliver a solid performance. Spalletti emphasised the collective effort behind the victory:
“It’s the team that makes the champion. If you want to fight for important goals, especially against teams that play modern, attacking football, it’s not one player who defines your style – it’s the whole team. Tonight, the team won the game. Of course, someone scores or makes a crucial save, but without everyone’s contribution, it’s difficult. The group is the substance. Yildiz is an extraordinary talent, but Juventus don’t win because of him alone – saying that would be disrespectful to the others.”
On the Transfer Market
Spalletti also played down expectations ahead of the final days of the transfer window:
“Do I expect another signing? I don’t expect anything. I accepted the Juventus job knowing exactly what the situation was. I was told we might not make any moves in January, and that was fine with me. Even when results weren’t going our way, I always said the same thing – this squad still has great potential. The reaction after conceding tonight made me really happy: seeing everyone rush to help the teammate who made a mistake instead of freezing in fear. Then we scored again immediately. It was beautiful for me as a coach. We re‑established control on the pitch straight away, and the team was exceptional.”
Kalulu’s Progress and Tactical Adaptation
Finally, the Juventus coach praised Pierre Kalulu for his versatility and technical maturity:
“It’s true – the comparison is fair. Kalulu can now do everything. He has that ability to contract and stretch in an instant, and tonight he showed it again. It’s brilliant play from an evolved team. He delivered great crosses and even drifted inside like a number ten. That’s the solution to everything. When you mention players like Perrotta or Nainggolan, you realise how modern they were – comfortable anywhere on the pitch. McKennie is made of the same stuff. He scored tonight, always reading the phase perfectly in chaotic moments. Those are his ideal situations. The numbers matter, in possession and out of it, but in those turbulent phases, nothing really happens – that’s when both teams recover and prepare to relight the spark.”
