Teun Koopmeiners shared his thoughts with Sky Sport Italia (as quoted by IlBianconero) following Juventus’ match against Sporting Lisbon, reflecting on both the team’s performance and his personal role within the side.
“We were aggressive in defence,” the Dutch midfielder said. “In the second half, I’m sorry we didn’t find the goal because we needed to win. There are many things we can take from this match, but also others that we need to fix.”
Finding His Best Role
When asked about his position on the pitch, Koopmeiners was clear about where he feels most comfortable. “In this position I feel very good,” he explained. “I’m not a striker and I can’t play with my back to goal. I’ve also spoken with the club about this. Spalletti has known me for many years, and in the Netherlands I also played in defence, so this way I feel much better. I can make passes to my teammates, push forward with the ball — this is something we can do with a holding midfielder in the middle.”
Adapting to Spalletti’s Methods
Koopmeiners also commented on the atmosphere within the dressing room under Luciano Spalletti. “There’s a different way of playing,” he said. “We also need to take responsibility among ourselves: whoever the coach is, we have to do our part. The feelings are good and the spirit is positive. Conceição and Yildiz spend a lot of energy in defence, and that’s very important.”
