The Juventus coach on the eve of the match against Lazio: “It’s wonderful to think we’ll have him on the team for as many years as possible. Kelly and Conceiçao are still up in the air”

“My contract extension after Yildiz’s? If I can earn it like Kenan did, maybe it’ll become possible. I often talk to Elkann on the phone; he feels very close and involved: with him by our side, we feel very strong.” Luciano Spalletti celebrates his number ten’s contract extension through 2030, but remains tight-lipped about his own contract (“My contract is expiring, but there are games to play that could change everyone’s mind, and right now I’m focused on those”), though he does make one thing clear about the future: “One of the best qualities a coach can have is the ability to get the club to sign players. We need strong players, with personality and top-tier talent. People who fit at Juve, who are up for big goals. The coach can do his part, but the players on the field are what matter. If I were to remain the coach next year as well, we’d work with the club to achieve meaningful goals, not make pointless investments.” Yildiz, as CEO Damien Comolli emphasized, is just the first piece of an ambitious project: “ “Kenan’s decision to stay,” continues the Bianconeri coach, “is a great sign for the whole of Juventus. Yildiz is a 20-year-old leader who instills strength in the team: champions make the team shine and influence the collective. Kenan has that burst of speed and that explosive one-on-one ability that gives you a huge advantage in creating something important right away. He’s a young, down-to-earth, and cheerful guy: he jokes around with everyone. Knowing how to get along with people and understand them is a very important quality.”

Yildiz has re-signed and, above all, is back in the starting lineup after struggling in Parma and sitting on the bench in Bergamo—a decision that cost us our Coppa Italia quarterfinal elimination: “Yildiz is available for tomorrow’s match against Lazio; as for Conceicao, we’ll see. Boga and Holm? They’re strong and can give us a hand. Jeremie can start on the left but also play other positions: he can beat his man and has a good touch; he showed character in Bergamo. I’ve known Holm for a long time because my wife is from La Spezia, and I used to follow him often when he was there.” Kelly is also a question mark: “I’ll decide tomorrow. We’re talking about a very strong defender who isn’t yet making the most of all his qualities: for example, he has a powerful left foot that could even take free kicks.” From defense to a fluid attack, always led by Joanthan David and the versatile Weston McKennie. “Once upon a time, the center forward was the finishing touch; now he’s the starting point. The forward creates space for runs into the box, like the ones we exploit with McKennie. Then, of course, the number nine in the opponent’s half must also know how to finish. Conceicao, on the other hand, needs to grow and learn to recognize the pass that can change the course of a game: the ball obeys the idea first, not the foot. Instinct can’t always give you the right solution.”

WATCH OUT FOR SARRI—  Spalletti, following the team’s elimination from the Coppa Italia and ahead of next week’s Derby d’Italia, isn’t taking anything lightly against Lazio. “We’re always playing against the future; what lies ahead shouldn’t influence us. We need to have a strong mentality that doesn’t crack.” The former national team coach doesn’t trust Maurizio Sarri, the last manager to win the Scudetto with Juventus: “If you let Sarri’s Lazio have the ball, they’ll create more chances. There are games that make you feel a bit incomplete, but we always try to have more possession. Keep an eye on Maurizio’s Lazio—they’re stronger than their current standing suggests.” Spalletti wraps up with a quip on the age-old “style vs. results” debate: “Between the ‘style’ guys and the ‘results’ guys, there are the tightrope walkers… From my perspective, the more you keep possession, the more you steer the game in your favor, but you have to evaluate it on a case-by-case basis—it’s not just about that approach.”