Socrates

Juventus is watching two Italian goalkeepers Michele Di Gregorio has retained the trust of Luciano Spalletti and remains Juventus’ first-choice goalkeeper, yet questions persist over how long that position will be secure. The former Monza shot stopper has been among the players who have prevented Juve from finding themselves in a far worse situation this term. ........... Despite that faith, there is recognition that several goalkeepers across Europe are currently regarded as superior. As a club with the ambition of competing at the highest level, the men at the Allianz Stadium are determined to secure the strongest possible option in every position. That objective has reportedly led them to monitor Marco Carnesecchi and Guglielmo Vicario. Both Italian goalkeepers are enjoying impressive spells. Carnesecchi continues to demonstrate his quality at Atalanta, while Vicario has established himself as the number one at Tottenham. Their performances have not gone unnoticed. ............ Juventus have been tracking both players for some time, and their interest could intensify in the coming weeks. As the biggest Italian club, Juve would represent an attractive destination for either goalkeeper, which may encourage further developments. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/report-juventus-is-watching-two-italian-goalkeepers/

Emil Holm wants to stay at Juventus beyond this season Emil Holm moved to Juventus in the last transfer window and is eager to spend a prolonged period at the club. Juve signed him to strengthen their squad, with the Bianconeri confident that he can offer more than Joao Mario, who moved in the opposite direction as part of the agreement. ........... Although Holm is currently on loan, he has no desire to leave Juve at the end of the season. The defender is focused on establishing himself and demonstrating that he deserves a permanent place in the squad. Juventus, for their part, will be keen to ensure that the move works out well, enabling them to retain him beyond the current campaign. Holm understands the magnitude of representing what is widely regarded as the biggest club in Italian football. With that status comes expectation, and it is now up to him to deliver consistent performances that justify the faith shown in him. ............ Holm has spoken positively about his early experiences at the club and the support he has received since his arrival. He said, “All my teammates, the coach, and the staff have helped me a lot to be part of the group. So, very good. My goal is to be here after the summer too. I want to help a lot and give 100% every day to be here after the summer too.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/emil-holm-wants-to-stay-at-juventus-beyond-this-season/

Juventus set price tag for Gatti as Milan, Napoli and Premier League clubs queue up Juventus reportedly have a price tag in mind when it comes to a potential sale of centre-back Federico Gatti, who has attracted interest from Milan, Napoli and some clubs in the Premier League so far this season. Both Milan and Napoli have expressed an interest in signing Gatti from Juventus this season. The Partenopei reportedly made an enquiry over the summer, while the Rossoneri sounded out the situation during the January transfer window. According to Thursday’s reports, there was even a phone call between Massimiliano Allegri and Gatti, who have worked together previously in Turin, to discuss the situation. ............ However, the Rossoneri management were not unanimous over a decision to sign Gatti, and so the situation was left alone in the final days of the January window. ............ For now, a move away from Juventus is impossible until the summer transfer window, but Thursday’s reports claim that it would take an offer in the region of €25m to convince Juventus into selling. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/juventus-set-price-tag-for-gatti/

Khephren Thuram believes father Lilian will favour Juventus against Marcus and Inter Khephren Thuram reveals what it feels like to face his brother Marcus and why he thinks their father Lilian will be cheering on Juventus against Inter. ‘Our whole family will be in the stands.’ The Derby d’Italia kicks off at San Siro on Saturday at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET). Neutrals will be hoping for a repeat of the extraordinary thriller that saw Juve emerge 4-3 winners in stoppages, with both Thuram brothers on target. ............ “When you grow up with a brother who plays football, it’s natural you would always love to be in the same team,” Khephren told Sky Sport Italia. “In school, we would always pick each other first to go into our sides. But now we are professionals, we both play for big Italian clubs, and that is good too. I hope to play many games alongside him for France. “I expect a great game, because these are two big teams, both playing well, and tough on a tactical level. It will be difficult for both sides.” “We speak every day, but never about matches. We discuss more important things than football. Our whole family will be in the stands this time, though.” ............ It is a situation where their father, former Juventus and Parma defender Lilian, is going to feel a little torn. However, Khephren has an idea of why the Bianconeri might get the benefit of a smile from their dad. “He will be neutral, but I am the baby, so perhaps he’ll have a little bit more attention towards me.” ............ “Spalletti asks me to always keep moving, to anticipate the play, but the most important thing is to play with my qualities and know that I am strong,” said Khephren Thuram. “He is one of the coaches who most in my career has tried to make me understand my own strength. I enjoy working with him, he also gives me tips on where to improve, but I’ll keep those details to myself. “Spalletti is very demanding with the team, he asks us for many things, and we try to deliver for him.” . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/khephren-thuram-lilian-favour-juventus-inter/

Referee chiefs back decision to deny Juventus penalty vs. Lazio Referee chiefs reportedly agreed that the decision to deny a penalty kick to Juventus in their latest Serie A match against Lazio was correct. ............ The Biancocelesti defender Mario Gila appeared to foul Juventus’ Juan Cabal with a sliding tackle inside the box. Guida did not give a penalty, and he was not urged to the pitchside monitor to spot any potential error. According to referee chiefs, the decisions were correct given the Lazio defender’s “intention to withdraw.” ............ Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti complained about the decision at full-time, arguing that his side had been denied a clear penalty. Spalletti’s remarks were shared by DAZN pundit Luca Marelli, who claimed Lazio should have been punished due to Gila’s negligence in his tackle. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/referee-chiefs-back-juventus-penalty-denied/

Ci ha fatto l'abitudine

Ma non era vietato a partire da questa stagione calcistica?

É come a scuola. Chi perseguitano i bulli quelli forti o quelli deboli che non reagiscono? Fa parte della natura umana fare i forti con i deboli e i deboli con i forti.

Imbarazzo Open Var, l'audio esilarante Guida-Mazzoleni FONTE

Non sto vedendo la partita ma il Como é un avversario molto scomodo

Conceicao explains how they get confidence in games Francisco Conceicao has offered insight into how Juventus build confidence during matches following their recent 2-2 draw against Lazio. The result highlighted both the progress the team have made and the areas that still require improvement as they continue to adapt under their current manager. Juventus have generally looked more assured since Luciano Spalletti took charge, with performances showing greater organisation and belief compared to the period before his arrival. ............ Despite the progress, Juventus have not been without flaws. Certain matches have shown that the team can struggle to impose itself early, particularly when they fail to convert chances. Spalletti has occasionally found it difficult to get his side firing from the opening minutes, which has allowed opponents to grow into games. These moments have exposed a lack of composure, something the coaching staff are keen to address as the season progresses. The draw against Lazio was another example of Juventus showing character, but also frustration, as they were unable to fully control the game. Conceicao acknowledged that the team’s mindset can change depending on how matches begin, underlining the importance of early goals in shaping their performances. ............ Conceicao explained how the team approaches games and why confidence can fluctuate. He said, “We’re taking it game by game to stay as high as possible in the standings. Are we finishing poorly? We create a lot, and we need to improve on that. If we don’t break the deadlock early, we’ll become nervous, but if we score early, we’ll have more confidence.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-star-explains-how-they-get-confidence-in-games/

‘We wanted more’ Yildiz sends message to Juventus fans Kenan Yildiz addressed Juventus supporters following their 2-2 draw against Lazio at the Allianz Stadium, a match in which the Bianconeri were expected to claim victory. The result came after Juve had been eliminated from the Coppa Italia in their previous game, adding further pressure to perform in front of their fans. Lazio, known for being a difficult side to overcome, ensured that Juventus faced a stern challenge from the outset. ............ Reflecting on the match and the support he received, Yildiz shared a heartfelt message via his Instagram account. He said, “We wanted more and we gave everything. It wasn’t enough for the win, but we never gave up. Thank you for the incredible support, especially on such a special night for me. I love you so much 🤍🖤 I’ll give my best for this club.” His comments underline the importance he places on both effort and connection with the supporters. Even in a challenging game, Yildiz emphasised commitment to the team and appreciation for the fans’ backing, which was particularly meaningful given the context of his contract celebration. ............ The draw serves as a reminder of the competitiveness of Serie A, where even strong teams must remain vigilant against capable opponents like Lazio. Yildiz’s message highlights not only his personal dedication but also the collective determination within the squad to keep fighting until the final whistle. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/we-wanted-more-yildiz-sends-message-to-juventus-fans/

Le Pagelle: Juventus vs. Lazio It’s been a frustrating week for Juventus. Both of their matches, on Thursday against Atalanta and on Sunday against Lazio, saw them perform better than their opponents and yet fail to get the win either time. Thursday saw them eliminated from the Coppa Italia 3-0, and minutes into the second half on Sunday they found themselves down 2-0 after a pair of defensive errors despite completely dominating the match to that point. They had seen one goal chalked off for offside, been flat-out jobbed out of a penalty, and seen Ivan Provodel hulk up to make some key saves. ............ MICHELE DI GREGORIO - 5.5. Could maybe have done better on Gustav Isaksen’s goal, but was also left out to dry by mistakes and/or bad defending on both of them. PIERRE KALULU - 8. Apart from his dramatic equalizer, he racked up some impressive numbers. He made four key passes (which, incredibly, was only third on the team) and completed 92.1 percent of his passes, including three of four long balls and three out of seven crosses. He had a pair of tackles, including one last-man tackle late to prevent Lazio from icing the game. An absolute star. BREMER - 6. Had the highest pass completion of anyone in the starting XI, and helped to shut down the odd counter with a pair of tackles and an interception, as well as a blocked shot. Was denied a third goal in two games by a fantastic save from Provodel, and headed another one narrowly off target. TEUN KOOPMEINERS - 6. Led the team with 101 touches and 87 pass attempts, completing 90.8 percent of them. Had a pair of key passes and was so unlucky to have his goal chalked off for a passive offside, as well as pulling another great shot just wide. ANDREA CAMBIASO - 5.5. ............ MANUEL LOCATELLI - 5.5. Played pretty darn well for the majority of the game, making three tackles and three key passes, as well as barely missing a shot that could’ve tied the game only a few minutes after Juve scored their first. But his lapse at the end of the first half that led to Pedro’s opener also looms large. KHÉPHREN THURAM - 5. ............ JUAN CABAL - 5.5. ............ WESTON McKENNIE - 6. Had a rough first half but rebounded in the second. Excellent header to score the first goal, and he was a constant danger in the box, combining well with Jonathan David. KENAN YILDIZ - 6.5. On another day he would’ve had two or three goals, but Provodel was the bane of his existence, making three stellar saves to keep the newly-extended No. 10 out of the net. He also provided six (!!) key passes and made four dribbles. JONATHAN DAVID - 6. ............ SUBS EDON ZHEGROVA - 6.5. ............ JÉRÉMIE BOGA - NR. Sent in the cross that Kalulu buried for the equalizer, and nearly helped win the game when he found Loïs Openda less than two minutes later. He’s looking like a quality January addition. LLOYD KELLY - NR. ............ LOÏS OPENDA - NR. ............ FABIO MIRETTI - NR. ............ MANAGER ANALYSIS Spalletti didn’t do much wrong in this game. One could perhaps argue that he could’ve brought on guys like Boga earlier, but Juve were playing very well going forward from the beginning of the match, so the need to throw on even more firepower only started becoming really necessary as full time approached and desperation started. I’ve said before that I’ve been deeply impressed with the mental shift this team has undergone under Spalletti, and that continues to be true. The double-whammy of Lazio goals on either side of halftime would have utterly leveled the Juventus teams of past seasons, and even of the early parts of this one. But even at 2-0 down the team never wavered and continued to press to get back into the game. This team has become mentally stronger, and I think a big part of that is that they’ve become far more proactive as opposed to reactive, constantly pushing to win the ball back immediately and send it back at the opposing goal. That’s one of the biggest things Spalletti has instilled in this roster in such a short amount of time. ............ . Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/previews-reviews/36341/le-pagelle-juventus-lazio-player-ratings-manager-analysis-2026-serie-a-matchday-24-final-score-result-vs-lazio

Massimo Mauro blasts Spalletti’s attack: “It looks like a joke to me” Massimo Mauro didn’t mince his words when discussing the quality of the attacking department at Juventus in the aftermath of Sunday’s draw against Lazio. The Bianconeri dominated possession in front of their home supporters and had a flurry of chances, but they still found themselves trailing by two goals shortly after the restart, as they were wasteful in front of goal. ............ After the contest, Luciano Spalletti applauded his players for taking the right approach and having the character to mount a comeback. However, Mauro warns the manager against falling into this cycle, as producing entertaining displays is never good enough at Juventus. “In my opinion, it risks becoming idealistic, because if you play well and don’t win, I don’t think there’s a single fan who’s happy,” said the 63-year-old during his appearance on Pressing. “The style of play has to lead to winning; if you risk losing matches like this, maybe you need to play with more humility.” ............ “If Bremer isn’t in great form, he can’t cover up his teammates’ mistakes. Above all, the goalkeeper (Di Gregorio) made a serious error on the second goal. Juve conceded two goals, and Lazio could have scored two more.” ............ “There’s also the centre-forward issue: the attack looks like a joke to me. There’s the American (McKennie)… Openda had two chances and didn’t look like a striker. “I don’t feel like saying the players are poor. Juve are a team, and they have an identity, but I wouldn’t want to load Spalletti with too much responsibility.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/massimo-mauro-juventus-attack-joke/

Tardelli: I miss Agnelli and ‘hope Juventus find a new owner’ Italy and Juventus legend Marco Tardelli was highly critical of Bianconeri owner John Elkann, saying that he doesn’t follow the team enough: ‘I hope they find a new owner.’ Tardelli did not hold back his criticism of Juventus owner Elkann while attending the premiere of the documentary film ‘Juventus, Primo Amore’, which recounts Juventus’ sporting achievements between 1975 and 1985. When the 1982 Italy World Cup winner was asked what Juventus are lacking currently, he replied: “Somebody who loves Juventus. ............ “The Avvocato [ex-Juventus President Gianni Agnelli] didn’t use Juventus as a business, but he enjoyed being with the players. Nowadays, the owners don’t follow it much. I’ve never really been on good terms with him, but perhaps I miss Andrea Agnelli. He was on the pitch. Back then, there was somebody you could talk to. ............ “Now the Frenchmen have arrived, and despite having made a mess of things, they’re still there,” concluded Tardelli. “I hope Juventus find a new owner.” Comolli only arrived at Juventus last summer as the Bianconeri sacked sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli after two seasons. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/taredelli-italy-legend-miss-agnelli-owner-juve/

“I’m truly sorry” – Locatelli apologises for his blunder against Lazio Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli offered an apology for his costly mistake in Sunday’s Serie A clash against Lazio. ............ In the end, it was the visitors who stunned the Allianz Stadium by taking a shocking lead just before the interval, and it all stemmed from Locatelli’s howler. The Juventus midfielder was slightly overconfident in possession, as he lingered too much on the ball, allowing Daniel Maldini to pick his pocket. The new Lazio signing then fed Pedro, whose shot deflected off Gleison Bremer’s foot, wrong-footing Michele Di Gregorio. ............ Nevertheless, Locatelli didn’t shy away from his responsibility, but was quick to make a mea culpa, asking the fans to forgive him for his costly howler. “I’m truly sorry for my mistake this evening,” posted the 28-year-old on his personal Instagram account after the match. “It’s a disappointing draw, but the team had a great reaction. Fino alla Fine!” ............ Despite Locatelli’s blunder, Luciano Spalletti defended the skipper, describing him as one of the best players on the pitch. The manager felt partially responsible for the mistake, as the player was only following his instructions by maintaining possession rather than throwing the ball away when facing danger. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/sorry-juventus-manuel-locatelli-lazio-blunder/

Experts believes Juventus wrongly denied penalty in 2-2 Lazio draw: ‘Negligent’ Experts believe that Juventus were wrongly denied a penalty during the first half of their eventual 2-2 draw against Lazio in Serie A on Sunday evening. ............ During the first half, however, with the scores still at 0-0, Teun Koopmeiners found the back of the net from the edge of the area, but saw his effort ruled out as Khephren Thuram was obstructing the goalkeeper’s view in an offside position. In the build-up to that incident, though, Juan Cabal went to ground on his way into the area under the clumsy challenge of Lazio defender Mario Gila. He stayed on the deck for the entirety of the following play. ............ A penalty was not awarded in real time, and that decision was upheld after a lengthy VAR check that resulted in Koopmeiners’s goal being ruled out. However, experts believe that this was the wrong call and that Juventus should have been awarded a spot-kick for Gila’s foul on Cabal. “This is a negligent intervention,” said refereeing expert Luca Marelli on DAZN after full-time. “It doesn’t matter that he’s already offloaded the ball, what matters is whether the intervention was regular or irregular. Here, Gila comes in negligently on Cabal, and in my opinion, this is a penalty kick.” ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/juventus-wrongly-denied-penalty-2-2-lazio-draw/

Kalulu thinks Juventus were denied a penalty against Lazio: “I know Cabal well” Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu argues that his team should have been awarded a spot-kick in the first half against Lazio. ............ Kalulu was arguably the Bianconeri’s best player on the pitch on Sunday, but he looked dejected with the result, as he feels his team should have come away with all three points. “When we don’t take the three points like tonight, there’s always a sense of bitterness. They took the points they needed,” said the 25-year-old who joined Luciano Spalletti in the post-match press conference. ............ “When the win doesn’t come, something is always lacking, but in terms of performances, there’s no difference between Parma and tonight. “We weren’t effective in the box, but we created a lot. What matters in football is that either you score or you don’t. However, we’ve been consistent compared to the last few matches.” ............ Finally, Kalulu felt that Juventus likely deserved a penalty kick for Mario Gila’s challenge on Juan Cabal inside the penalty box. “I haven’t seen the incident again. I didn’t have the video. From the pitch, since I know my teammate well, he doesn’t go to ground for nothing or to try to steal something. “I haven’t spoken to him; I’ll watch it again and then I’ll have an opinion.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/kalulu-thinks-juventus-were-denied-a-penalty-against-lazio-i-know-cabal-well/

Bergomi identifies two key Juventus players: ‘Can’t do without’ Former Inter defender Beppe Bergomi argues that Juventus were ‘unlucky’ in a 2-2 home draw against Lazio, but their latest match highlighted that they ‘can’t do without’ two attacking wingers. ............ “Juventus were a bit unlucky. I looked at the stats, and the figures are amazing. In favour of Juventus,” Bergomi said. “The way it’s been built, I think Juventus can’t do without two wingers who dribble past opponents. They conceded some counterattacks in the second half, but the danger index was high. The goals come from there. Cross, McKennie’s goal, cross Kalulu’s goal.” ............ Cambiaso provided the assist for McKennie, while January signing Jeremie Boga delivered the cross for Kalulu’s late leveller. McKennie has now scored seven goals in 22 games under Luciano Spalletti. ............ Juventus are now three points above fifth-placed Roma, but the Giallorossi have a game in hand to be played against Cagliari tonight. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/bergomi-2-key-juventus-players-no-without/

Ancora gioisce per i gol della Juve nonostante la sua prossima partenza ....

Vlahovic’s reaction to Kalulu’s late Juventus equaliser Dusan Vlahovic followed the final minutes of Juventus’ 2-2 draw against Lazio from the Allianz Stadium touchline and energetically celebrated Pierre Kalulu’s late leveller. Juventus were held to a 2-2 home draw by Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio. ............ However, the Bianconeri can still be happy with the result, as they recovered from a two-goal deficit, scoring the equaliser in the stoppage time thanks to a goal from Kalulu. Bianconeri star Vlahovic has been out of action since December and is not expected to make his return until next month. ............ Even if the Serbian seems destined to leave the Allianz Stadium as a free agent in June, he’s still very much involved in the team, as his reaction to Kalulu’s goal highlighted. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/video-vlahovic-reaction-kalulu-goal-juventus/

Juventus player ratings vs Lazio: Kalulu & Boga save the day Juventus were staring at their second defeat in the space of three days, but they eventually managed to rescue a point against Lazio. Despite dominating the action in the first half, the Bianconeri headed to the interval trailing 0-1 due to Pedro’s added-time opener. The Aquile added another goal after the break through Gustav Isaksen, but Luciano Spalletti’s men refused to lose in front of their supporters, so they mounted a comeback thanks to Weston McKennie and Pierre Kalulu’s last-gasp equaliser. ............ Juventus XI (4-2-3-1) Michele Di Gregorio – 5.5 The goalkeeper was wrong-footed by the deflection on the opener, but perhaps he could have done more on Isaksen’s strike, although he can’t be considered the main culprit on this one. Pierre Kalulu – 7 The French defender saved the day for Juventus by nodding home the last-minute equaliser, and still looked dejected by the result. He could have had an assist to his name as he set up Bremer with a lovely cross, and also covered for the Brazilian when Daniel Maldini dribbled past him. Gleison Bremer – 5.5 The former Torino man started on the right foot in his duel against Maldini, but he was no longer able to contain the third-generation star as the match progressed. Tried to block Pedro’s shot, but ended up wrongfooting his own goalkeeper. Teun Koopmeiners – 6 ............ Juan Cabal – 5.5 ............ Manuel Locatelli – 5.5 The Juventus captain was enjoying an almost flawless first half, but in the end, he was too casual on the ball, allowing Maldini to pick his pocket, which culminated in Lazio’s opener. Khephren Thuram – 6 ............ Andrea Cambiaso – 5.5 The Italy international was largely ineffective as a right winger in the first half. He moved to his original left-back role after the break, and was immediately beaten for pace by Isaksen on his way to scoring the second for Lazio. He atoned for himself by providing the assist for McKennie, but he was still jeered by his own supporters while leaving the pitch. Weston McKennie – 6.5 The Texan has been playing as a man possessed, and his vigorous approach was eventually rewarded with a goal that restored Juve’s hopes. Kenan Yildiz – 6 ............ Jonathan David – 5.5 ............ Substitutes Edon Zhegrova – 5.5 The Kosovar tested Provedel with a low drive just before McKennie’s goal, but he often slowed down the team’s attacks by dwelling on the ball. Jeremie Boga – 6.5 The Ivorian winger caused a yellow card for Alessio Romagnoli with his dribbling, produced the all-important assist for Kalulu’s equaliser, and almost set up the winner for Openda. A winning card for Spalletti. Lloyd Kelly – 6 ............ Fabio Miretti – N/A Lois Openda – N/A . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-player-ratings-vs-lazio-kalulu-boga-save-the-day/

Juventus 2 - Lazio 2: Initial reaction and random observations I don’t know what Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri will say at his post-match press conference. I probably won’t watch it. But I have a feeling that I know exactly how things were going to sound like — besides just the overall gravel that is trapped inside that man’s throat when he talks — if Lazio had actually beaten Juventus on Sunday night. It probably would have gone a little something like this …. Lazio smashed, Lazio grabbed and Lazio absolutely stole three points from the club — most definitely not the same squad by any means — that Sarri guided to their last title-winning season. Thank goodness for Pierre Kalulu being his wonderful self once again. If not for Kalulu’s header in the 96th minute (!!) to give Juventus a 2-2 draw with Lazio, it would have been about as frustrating of a loss as the Bianconeri have had in quite some time. And that is probably saying something considering what this club has done both this season and the last couple of years. But Lazio were looking completely on for a stunning win at the Allianz Stadium for much of Sunday, with just Kalulu and Weston McKennie’s goal before him being the reason as to why Luciano Spalletti’s squad are coming away with a point rather than seeing Lazio smash-and-grab their way to a win that would have put a cherry on top of a bad week for Juventus that saw them dumped out of the Coppa Italia just three days earlier in the same kind of fashion. But even more of the case as compared to Thursday night in Bergamo, this was complete Juventus domination from the first minute — hell, the first 10 seconds when they could have easily had a penalty — to the very last when somehow Loïs Openda couldn’t convert either of the two glorious chances he had to get a winner. Juventus recorded 34 shots. THIRTY-STINKIN-FOUR SHOTS. And yet, if it wasn’t for Kalulu’s game-tying header off a peach of a cross from second-half substitute Jérémie Boga, then this would have an absolute stunner of a result considering how much Juventus dominated both on the field and the stats. Hell, it’s still a stunner in a lot of ways. You can point to the two game-changing kind of defensive errors that Juventus made. You can look at all of the squandered chances that Juventus couldn’t convert into goals. You can look at the Lazio goalkeeper putting in a heroic performance. And you can look at the absolute shocker of a night that referee Marco Guida and the VAR crew had when not giving Juventus at least one penalty in the opening half. There was a whole lot going on — and a lot of it was coming even before Lazio struck in the second minute of first-half stoppage time to take an unexpected 1-0 lead. The fact is, Juventus should have never been in that position. ............ So was avoiding a loss a good thing? Of course. One point better than none — especially when you factor in just how tight the race for the top four has been all season long and the fact that Roma are going through their own struggles at the moment. But in what was one of the biggest statistical advantages we’ve seen Juventus have all season long no matter who the manager is — but especially under Spalletti — they dropped points and were just one heroic header away from not getting anything. After a loss in the Coppa Italia that had a lot of the same themes (although not to the extreme in which Sunday’s draw did), that is rightfully at least some level of concern. Then you remember who is coming up on the schedule … OK, yeah, Juventus will have to play a lot better if they want to beat Inter in six days. Or advance to the Champions League Round of 16 later this month. Or just stay in the top four in Serie A where they currently are. Just thank goodness for Kalulu, man, or else this performance might have looked even worse. RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS Have I ever mentioned that I am a really big fan of Kalulu? Because I am. And I am still amazed that AC Milan let him go for as little as they did. I am thankful for that … but also surprised as hell because he’s such a good player. Sure hope the form he’s in the last few months means that his spot on France’s World Cup squad has become a lock because he damn well deserves it. This was not a good night for Gleison Bremer. Give this man a rest. It’s also time for Khephren Thuram to get a rest because he looks physically and mentally tired. Just too many mistakes are creeping into his game lately — which is not great when you remember that it seemed like it was just a couple of weeks ago that I was thinking his form was improving. ............ Some of those saves that Ivan Provedel made against Juventus … holy smokes. And yet, with all of the shots that Juventus had, Provedel made all of four saves. You’d think if a team’s final shot total was in the 30s then you would have a case of a keeper being peppered in the way that Michele Di Gregorio Boga and Edon Zhegrova basically being used as “wingbacks” in the final minutes of this game as we all expected before kickoff, right? RIGHT? We definitely got the full Andrea Cambiaso Experience in this one. We got the good (assist to McKennie) and we certainly got the bad (the defending on Lazio’s second goal). I know options aren’t great out on the left, but at some point you wonder what it will take in terms of the bad outweighing the good for Spalletti to make some sort of change. So many goals that Juventus continue to give up have that “THIS WAS SO PREVENTABLE!” kind of feeling to them. Like what is Locatelli thinking? Just pass the ball, man. You had two teammates completely unmarked and totally waiting for a pass to come to them. But nope, he tried to hold off Daniel Maldini and then that turned into a Lazio goal a couple of seconds later. Then again, that pass to set up Lazio’s second goal was pretty. Cambiaso’s defending was not — which is no surprise considering his overall level of defending, especially lately — but that pass was very good. I repeat: Juventus had 34 shots! Juventus had 23 shots in the second half alone. That is nuts. Lazio finished with a grand total of nine shots. Two of those were on goal. They scored two goals. Lazio blocked more Juventus shots (13) than shots they took themselves (9). Even with all of those shots, Jonathan David took all of one. Openda had more shots in less than a minute — and should have scored at least one of them, if not both — than David had over the course of the entire night. Not great. ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/previews-reviews/36306/juventus-lazio-2026-serie-a-matchday-24-final-score-result-initial-reaction-random-observations

Spalletti rant about referees ends with kiss for interviewer Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti went on a lengthy rant demanding referees be made professional, which culminated in him kissing the interviewer to prove a point. ‘Contact is not impact.’ ............ There was some controversy when Teun Koopmeiners had a goal disallowed for Khephren Thuram’s offside position at 0-0, but there was also a potential Mario Gila foul on Juan Cabal in the build-up to that effort, which DAZN Italia refereeing analyst Luca Marelli said should’ve been a penalty. This sparked a lengthy Spalletti rant that spiralled somewhat out of control. ............ “The referee can interpret it the way he wants, because the defender is imprudent when going into that sliding tackle, so he takes a risk. I am not here to say if it is a penalty or not. He could’ve run back onto the ball, but I would take a wider view,” Spalletti noted. “Everyone now goes to protest about the rules, but there is always an interpretation. The pressure of a step on foot, handball that nobody sees in the stadium but they zoom in with the camera, it is all open to interpretation. You cannot generalise that every contact is a penalty.” He turned back to an incident in the game against Atalanta when a penalty was awarded for handball that even Ederson making the cross hadn’t noticed. ............ “I never talked about referees when decisions went against me or in favour. In the game against Atalanta the VAR called the referee to view the handball a minute and a half later, when nobody including Raffaele Palladino who was right next to me on the touchline, had any idea what this was even for. “The rules are too rigid right now, it is the rigidity that I find to be the problem. If nobody even realises it hit a hand, who is damaged by that? The analysts keep saying ‘there was contact,’ but that doesn’t mean anything, does it? May I kiss you, here, this is contact,” said Spalletti when giving the female interviewer a peck on the cheek. “It’s about context, contact is not the same thing as impact. There will always be difficulty if there are rules where every touch of the hand is a penalty, every step on foot is a penalty. This is what VAR is for, you can evaluate the context in its totality. “If we stick to the rules, then that is definitely a penalty, because Gila goes into a sliding tackle and takes responsibility for that gesture when he doesn’t get the ball.” ............ “The referee is the only one out of 23 on the pitch who is not a professional. That should be changed, in my view, as they are too important for the sport. “When he gets home at night, he has to think about other things, whether or not to keep doing this, balancing his other work. That’s not right when you consider how important referees are in this game. I am confident about this, he has to be professional.” . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/spalletti-rant-about-referees-ends-with-kiss/

Spalletti: ‘Juventus must relish difficult moments and test themselves’ Luciano Spalletti urges Juventus to ‘live within pressure, relish testing yourself to see if you can handle difficult situations’ after their fightback for a 2-2 draw with Lazio. The Bianconeri were coming off a 3-0 Coppa Italia quarter-final defeat to Atalanta midweek where they had more possession and chances, so were getting a sense of déjà vu here when trailing 2-0 to Pedro and Gustav Isaksen goals against the run of play. ............ However, Weston McKennie’s header and a last-gasp Pierre Kalulu finish from close range managed to claw their way back for a 2-2 draw with Lazio. There were 33 shots from the Old Lady compared to just eight for Lazio, but curiously all season in Serie A they are also the team with the most errors leading to conceded goals. ............ “It is probably the fault of the demands we put upon these players,” Spalletti told DAZN Italia. “In this period, I asked them to immediately play every ball that they win back, not to kick it away, so we must try to play our way out under pressure, and add more quality to our football. “When you make that many requests, it means anticipating dangerous situations, seeing both the positive and negative potential of any scenario at the same time. “Mistakes can happen, Locatelli has been one of our best players this season, so losing the ball once doesn’t ruin anything. Even after that, there was the way we defended, how we closed down the shot, the bad luck of the deflection. That’s football. “What we must build on is the reaction of the team, the performance overall. When the tempo steps up and we are fighting back from two goals down, we mustn’t turn that up to the degree it’s frenetic. We need to speed things up, but not be chaotic, whereas again today we were a bit too frenetic in situations we could’ve developed better. “Speeding up the tempo does not mean spilling over into chaos.” ............ “We have to live within pressure, that is the joy of football, when you have to overturn a 2-0 result at the start of the second half, when it wasn’t what we had planned at all. That is when you test yourself and see if you can handle the tension at the top level, that is what we must relish, seeing if we deserve to be at this level or not. “Character means when everything is going wrong and you need the clear head to make choices. That’s what makes the difference. This team overturned a very difficult situation, put in a great performance, so we go forward feeling reassured.” ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/spalletti-juventus-relish-difficult-moments/