Derby della Mole, a challenge worth an entire season and which requires the utmost Juventus pride to close a year well which seriously risks leaving a bad taste in the mouth. Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti presented in a press conference the very delicate derby against Torino, a crucial match for the team's remaining European hopes after the heavy internal slide in the last round of the championship. The Tuscan coach does not hide and demands proof of pride and character from his men, aware of the specific weight that such a challenge has on the environment and the rankings. Spalletti presents the Mole derby like this:
"I expect a performance worthy of what happened this week and of the importance of the match, because it is a derby. I expect this correct reaction that is needed for such an important match."
Derby della Mole, l'analisi del tecnico sull'involuzione bianconera e la ricetta per ripartire
Derby della Mole which arrives at the most complicated moment, however useful as an examination to analyze the reasons for the recent decline in performance of the team, which appeared less brilliant and less incisive than a few months ago. The coach tried to clarify the decline experienced by his players, taking responsibility but underlining how the real problem was the loss of one's identity on the pitch. Spalletti on Juve's involution in the last period:
"The regret isn't so much for those matches in which we weren't able to win, but we gave the performance and created many scoring opportunities. In this case the regret is that we weren't able to be ourselves and that we didn't play the same amount of play that had distinguished us."
Futuro e programmazione: la visione a lungo termine oltre la qualificazione europea
Despite the pressing market rumors and the doubts raised by insiders about the future of the technical leadership, the coach wanted to focus attention on the importance of continuity and corporate planning. The chase for the top European rankings remains the main objective on the pitch, but the construction of the sporting project cannot be linked exclusively to the outcome of the final ninety minutes. Spalletti responds by talking about programming to those who ask about his future after the latest farewell rumors:
"Planning means having the courage to look beyond the result, there is always a plan to build a future that is like what we hope for. Absolutely nothing changes, one point more or less, we want to create the possibility of going and fighting for something important whether we are in the Champions League or not"
Smentite le voci di addio: l'incontro programmato con la dirigenza e la voglia di riscatto
The rumors relating to possible tears and the meeting with the company's top management have fueled the media debate in the last few hours, but the coach has firmly extinguished any controversy. The coach clarified the nature of his talks with the owners, categorically excluding the possibility of a step back and reiterating the centrality of his role in managing the group in view of the fundamental city challenge. Spalletti denies the resignation hypothesis and underlines how the meeting with Elkann was not requested but a planned step:
"It never crossed your mind, in case a result like this would cross your mind to make you available, but I didn't ask to speak to anyone"
In short, the coach's imminent farewell seems to have been completely denied with his words but there are still 90 minutes left plus injury time to play and then that meeting with Elkann which could change the cards on the table again.