Luciano Spalletti addressed the media ahead of the much-anticipated Napoli vs Juventus match, sharing his thoughts on the form of the team, specific players, and the emotional weight of returning to face his former club.
“The Juventus shirt was made to win”
Reflecting on Juventus’s current moment and the mentality required, Spalletti said: “Yes, but the Juventus shirt was woven for this — to win matches. We’re not in the best spell right now, but that must be our status. It’s important to approach it with confidence, but we have to be strong and free souls. What matters most is seeing the team chasing new ideas in training.”
“Some matches stay in history forever”
On the importance of Saturday’s game, he continued: “There are moments that last days and weeks but pass in an instant. There are matches worth three points that fade away, and others that stay in history forever. This is a match that can tell a lot about the future of our league, and we’ll give everything we have.”
“An exam of maturity”
When asked if the clash could be considered a maturity test for Juventus, Spalletti agreed: “Yes, that’s one way to put it — an exam where we must be ready. We know it’s a difficult match; we’re playing against the Italian champions.”
“Conte is a top coach”
Speaking about Antonio Conte, Spalletti commented: “We’ve crossed paths many times — once even in a friendly match. He’s a very good coach, and he’s shown that again this year. As a person, I can’t say much because I don’t know him daily, but on the pitch he’s a top coach.”
Praise for Koopmeiners
Turning to Teun Koopmeiners, he remarked: “He’s an elegant, creative, and unpredictable player, with real personality. I expect that once he shows what he can do on the pitch, he’ll always take the next step — that’s how it should be. The pitch is big enough to let him find good things, especially when people care about him — and I care about him a little.”
“Beautiful football takes time”
On comparisons with Napoli’s title-winning team, Spalletti said: “I refer to John Elkann’s words that everyone heard. People always refer to Juventus’s history, but they don’t know what its future will be. Being with a club like this gives you the chance to reach where all the fans dream of returning. There are key stages in that process, because player quality makes the difference — only player quality. The journey takes time.”
“David’s best match depends on rhythm”
Asked about David’s performance levels, Spalletti explained: “It doesn’t depend on words, but on rhythm, timing, and what you want to achieve personally. He’s sensitive, intelligent, strong, with great physicality. I sense he’s motivated to show what he’s made of, and that’s the right attitude.”
Yildiz and formation choices
On Kenan Yildiz potentially starting as a centre-forward, Spalletti kept things close to his chest: “I prefer to tell the players the line-up first; otherwise, I’d look bad tomorrow when I walk in and they already know. In these matches, we take all the time available to decide. I think I know the line-up, but it has happened before that I changed something overnight.”
“We made each other happy in Naples”
Reflecting on his time at Napoli, Spalletti said: “For two years we made each other happy — it was an incredible emotion, especially winning the Scudetto. Beautiful stories have the power of immortality, and that one will always be so. I’ve also had other important experiences — with Roma, Inter, and Napoli. Today I’m an opponent; tomorrow, who knows? I just want to carry the good people I met with me.”
He recognised both sides’ challenges: “I know they’re missing something in midfield, and we’re missing something in defence. Still, we’ll both try to win. They have a past that gives them certainty; we’re still searching for ours.”
“McKennie has learned to face fear”
On Weston McKennie, Spalletti praised his mentality: “He’s a strong person who makes the footballer strong. He has this willingness to help that feels like he’s saying, ‘Ask me, and I’ll do it.’ He gets on with it and executes. You can tell he overcame fear as a child because courage comes from facing what frightens you. He tries things outside his usual game, and he gives it a go anyway.”
“Locatelli has been almost perfect”
Finally, he spoke highly of Manuel Locatelli: “He has personality and a clear role in the dressing room. He knows his qualities well, though sometimes he gets dragged into other things — we’ve talked about it privately. He’s been almost perfect, so I expect another big performance from him.”
