Juventus were held to a 2–2 draw by Lazio at the Allianz Stadium, a match that left plenty of talking points both on and off the pitch. After the final whistle, manager Luciano Spalletti addressed the media, reflecting on his players’ performance, their mentality, and specific individuals such as Andrea Cambiaso.
“A Correct Atmosphere” in the Dressing Room
Spalletti began by describing the post-match mood among his players:
“The atmosphere is the right one because even tonight we gave everything. We did what we had to do. The demands are high because I ask my players never to waste possession, to make every ball playable, even when there’s a bit of risk. That’s where the next step comes.”
He went on to explain his approach to maintaining composure during intense moments of play:
“If instead of clearing two balls we play them, that’s two situations we can manage and use to attack. It’s a beautiful stadium, a great club — we must raise our level. High demands come with the risk of making an extra mistake, but what matters to me is the reaction and the players’ willingness to turn things around, their correct intentions.”
The Juventus coach praised his team’s progress while also stressing the need for calm decision-making:
“In trying to dominate them, to put our hands around their necks, we must not become chaotic or frantic. When we increased the tempo, sometimes we did things well, other times we turned it into frenzy — and that’s not good. We have the ability to lose few balls, to find the right position in the box, to circulate possession and understand where we want to take the play.”
Despite the draw, Spalletti expressed pride in his squad’s display:
“We’ve taken big steps forward. Tomorrow, when I walk into the meeting, I’ll applaud the team — for the match, the reaction, the mindset, the personality, and the character. That’s top-class, in my opinion. Lazio are very good in open spaces and well coached, but after making it 2–2 we created two more chances to win. What can I tell them? That they should feel even happier with how they handled difficulties and pressure.”
For the coach, managing that pressure is a mark of maturity:
“You can sense at the Stadium when people are disappointed — the club, us, everyone — but the players must stay lucid and enjoy that pressure. That’s the important switch. This is the life we chose; it shouldn’t make us anxious, it should make us happy. The job is well-paid, yes, but there’s also a human, character-based side — about what kind of person you are — and that must be lived positively. It’s beautiful to fight back in a game like this; it must motivate us. Relaxed faces — this is the world we’ve chosen.”
Words for Cambiaso
Spalletti also spoke in detail about Andrea Cambiaso, analysing both his qualities and the moments he must improve on:
“To Cambiaso I’ll say what I’ve always said: in my view, he’s a player who truly understands what it means to play football. He has that ability to stay in constant motion with quality, to get involved in key actions and keep them alive. He’s two-footed, plays well out wide, and has great energy.”
The coach defended the young full-back’s recent mistakes, linking them to his learning process:
“Sometimes he doesn’t anticipate situations and ends up paying the price, poor guy — it’s not always going to be like this. In the first half he did more where I placed him, less so in the second. Cabal has different qualities — he’s more defensive — while Cambiaso is more attacking. I needed to overturn the result, so I made a substitution. He didn’t read the first-time pass early enough and got caught out, but it happens.”
Finally, Spalletti’s message to the player was both constructive and encouraging:
“What do I tell him? That he must fix those situations. In football, those who think ahead, who foresee things, who can see two things at once, are the ones who win. Too often we only see one.”
