Juventus beat Chelsea at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium to maintain their unbeaten pre-season record — a goal from Leandro Zhegrova, assisted by Kenan Yıldız after the Turkish international came on as a substitute, proving the decisive difference against Xabi Alonso’s formidable side. It was a result that, combined with an unblemished defensive record across four pre-season fixtures, gave Luciano Spalletti genuine reasons for optimism as he addressed the media in Hong Kong.
“We Did Not Bend Our Backs Against Top-Level Opposition”
Spalletti’s assessment of the Chelsea contest was measured but proud. “These are tests that tell you about the journey you are making. We were always a team within the match — defensively and offensively, where we created some chances. The attitude was always one of compactness. Chelsea know how to do everything: finish, build from the back, give the match momentum with top-level speed and engine. For us, the important thing was not bending our backs in front of those situations.”
On Yıldız: “The Fact That He Is Smiling and Free Makes Us Happy”
The Yıldız update was the most warmly received passage of the post-match interview. “For us, Kenan is an extremely important player and we are managing his minutes carefully to create the right workload structure for him. The fact that he no longer has pain and is smiling and free to play his football — that is something that makes us genuinely happy.” Yıldız came on as a substitute and immediately lit up the match with his assist for Zhegrova’s winner — a cameo performance that suggested a player returning to his natural state.
On Zhegrova: “The Goal Is Not Enough — the Attitude Across 96 Minutes Is What Counts”
Despite being named Man of the Match, Zhegrova received a characteristically Spalletti-style assessment — warm in acknowledging the positive, pointed in identifying what still needs to improve. “The goal clearly gives great pleasure to everyone. But it is the performance that matters. One assist or one goal is not enough if you do not give support to the team for 90 minutes. You score a goal in one minute, but the match lasts 96. It is the attitude during the passage of the minutes that counts. Zhegrova did well — though sometimes he lost the ball when he could have made a different choice. But his ability with the ball at his feet, to take defenders in different directions, and his shot quality — he showed all of that. It is then a matter of putting those things into the box to fill a match. That is what makes you a team.”
“The Footballer Is a Species — They Never Stop”
The most extraordinary passage of the entire interview came in a spontaneous philosophical observation on the nature of the professional footballer — the kind of remark that distinguishes Spalletti from virtually every other manager in the game. “The person who plays football can stop. The footballer never stops — and they bring it home with their children, into training, into every moment. Every day you have to think about how to put something more in the next day. You cannot do it only when you have spare time. There is always something to work on to go higher. It is a species, a breed — because when you are a footballer, you want to go and measure yourself against anyone. You have had the good fortune to be a footballer, and when you play for Juventus you are fortunate. The footballer never stops and brings it home with their children, inside training, and every time adds a load of discipline to keep going higher.”
On David: “He Played His Half-Hour — It Is Normal Management”
Jonathan David’s performance attracted considerable social media comment from supporters — with the Canadian’s limitations in front of goal visible even in pre-season — but Spalletti’s explanation for his substitution was deliberately mundane. “I took David off because he had to play half an hour. Make him play it in the thick of the match rather than at the end, where you risk making him do too much. These are normal things that you can manage in one direction or another.” In other words: do not read anything unusual into his substitution. Read everything into the fact that his departure from the club remains the priority.
On the Transfer Market: “I Am Not the Correct Person to Speak About These Things”
Spalletti’s trademark discretion on transfer matters was fully deployed when asked about incoming signings. “I am the least qualified person to speak about these things — because, as I have already said, I have an excellent relationship with the club and I am seeing them move to execute.” It is perhaps the most eloquent non-answer in the press conference lexicon. The manager sees the work being done. He approves. He will say no more.
