Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti praised his side’s performance in the 2-0 win over Parma at the Allianz Stadium, insisting the Bianconeri were much better than the jeers from the home crowd suggested during a frustrating first half.
The atmosphere turned hostile at times, with supporters particularly critical of Jonathan David after he was substituted, but Spalletti was in no mood to accept that the display had been poor, even before his substitutes turned the game.
Speaking to DAZN Italia, Spalletti said he had liked the first half a great deal, even though Juventus struggled to find the space needed to get shots away and were, in his words, a little chaotic with their crossing. He argued that the only real chance Parma had all match was a header saved by Guglielmo Vicario, while his own side kept generating opportunities without the finishing touch to match.
He described it as a solid performance built on the right objectives, motivation, quality and constant pressure, adding that Juventus simply needed the right moment to finish teams off. Spalletti accepted his side were not precise enough to convert their control into more shots on target, but stressed that plenty of dangerous situations were still created – a theme he touched on after Juventus’ pre-season win over Standard Liège.
It was Juve’s bench that ultimately settled matters. Nico Gonzalez came on and had an immediate impact, forcing a save before striking the post and converting the rebound, and his high pressing then helped force the turnover that led to Teun Koopmeiners‘ late second goal.
The victory came amid a growing injury list, with Kenan Yildiz ruled out for two to three months with a fractured metatarsal and both Weston McKennie and Khephren Thuram unavailable. Andrea Cambiaso came on as a substitute but limped off clutching his ankle and requires tests, and Spalletti confirmed that if Thuram’s situation is confirmed as serious, the club’s directors will need to find a midfield alternative – a reminder of the squad-building tensions explored in this look at Spalletti’s dealings with Juventus’ new directors.
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