Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti was pleased with his team’s display against Udinese, but feels hard done by the officiating.
Jeremie Boga’s first-half strike proved to be the only difference between the two sides on Saturday evening. Therefore, the Bianconeri returned to Turin with a valuable win that temporarily put them in the coveted fourth place, while waiting for Como and Roma’s meeting on Sunday.
After the match, Spalletti was asked if his Juventus side has the upper hand over their two other Champions League hopefuls.
“Maybe you (the journalists) were among those who two games ago were saying we weren’t a top-level team,” said the 67-year-old in his post-match interview (via IlBianconero).
“Juventus are a top team when they play top-level football, when the players stay on their feet, when the team actually plays, and when under aggressive pressing, they find space instead of just clearing the ball. When they attack in depth along the line.
“Juventus are stronger when they play the way they did tonight. These are the performances that put us back on the plane of the most beautiful matches in football. If we play like this, we can board that plane. Otherwise, it becomes much more difficult.”
Spalletti praises Jeremie Boga, urges Kenan Yildiz to improve
Spalletti reserves praise for Boga, who started in his original role on the left win on his full debut, before switching to the false 9, and almost immediately finding the back of the net.
“The sporting directors did well. They were the ones who brought in Boga. He had been training on his own for a long time, and we had to get him back into condition.
“But because he’s a player with explosive, muscular pace, it didn’t take him long to regain form. Tonight, he did well both as a winger and as a centre-forward.
“I was pleased with his performance. I had never used him through the middle before, but he moved really well as a striker.”
Kenan Yildiz was arguably the Man of the Match in Udine, but he only came to life after switching back to his original role on the left side.
Therefore, Spalletti believes the 20-year-old still lacks the attributes required to lead the line.
“Kenan Yıldız, on the other hand, doesn’t feel completely comfortable in the middle. He still lacks that striker’s instinct of feeling the defender breathing down his neck.
“He needs to be able to choose what to do, see the ball and the opponent, then attack the space on his own and arrive there with momentum. But starting from that position caused him a few problems.”
Were Juventus denied a legitimate goal against Udinese?
Spalletti argued that Francisco Conceicao’s disallowed goal should have stood. The VAR intervened after noticing Teun Koopmeiners in an offside position, and following an on-field review, the match official decided that the Dutchman’s position and movement hindered the Udinese goalkeeper.
“The match should have been finished with Conceicao’s goal, which, for me, is valid. The only point raised is his proximity to the goalkeeper, but the player isn’t standing still, and he’s moving in the opposite direction, while the goalkeeper can always see the ball.
“Otherwise, we go back to what was said against Lazio when our goal was disallowed. They said he was a bit close, but that proximity didn’t matter then.
“The goalkeeper didn’t complain, no one said anything. Against Lazio, that closeness didn’t matter. Tonight’s performance shouldn’t be questioned; it’s not right to put it in doubt after what the team produced.”
The incident that the manager referenced against Lazio was Koopmeiners’ strike that was ruled out due to Khephren Thuram’s offside position.