Everything Spalletti said before Juventus vs. Roma: Gasperini praise, Bremer, Cambiaso

Luciano Spalletti has confirmed that Jonathan David will start for Juventus against Roma, that Arkadiusz Milik will return to the squad for the first time in over 18 months, and has humorously dismissed rumours regarding Jonathan David being isolated from the rest of the squad. 

The Bianconeri coach discussed all things Juventus ahead of their visit from Roma in a crucial fixture in the race for Champions League football during his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon.. 

Juventus are in fifth place on 26 points in the Serie A table heading into the weekend, four points behind Roma in fourth. The Old Lady are coming in off back-to-back wins against Bologna and Pafos over the last 10 days. 

At the beginning of his press conference, Spalletti confirmed that Milik will be part of the squad for the first time since the final day of the 2023-24 season. The 31-year-old has spent more than 18 months in the treatment room after suffering ligament damage in his knee in June 2024. 

“Milik will be called up tomorrow,” Spalletti said. “I saw him looking as happy as a youngster who has the opportunity to play his first game. He’s a guy who has a lot of enthusiasm and knows the role that he plays very well. He has great physical and technical characteristics, so he will come with us.” 

Spalletti was full of praise when asked about his upcoming opponent, Gian Piero Gasperini, who he believes is a ‘role model’ to a new generation of coaches across Serie A. 

“I get along with lots of people in this league. Gasperini is one of those who has always made me curious. It’s the way you do this job that interests me, and we can all learn from Gasperini. He’s a role model. His teams always come at you, and it’s been like that since he was at  Crotone. 

“All the players he’s had (who have gone on to become coaches), train like him as well: Palladino, Juric, Modesto, Bocchetti, He transforms the players, and if you’re not at the right level, he will find the flaws and uncover your weaknesses. 

“They’ll have two thirds of their team within the penalty area in defensive phases, anyone in their team can play in any area of the pitch. It’s difficult to find the spaces against Roma, because with their suffocating style of play, they make it difficult for you to play your own football. 

“He’s invented this way of playing, which many now follow. We have to congratulate him and Roma.” 

Spalletti has recently claimed that he wants his Juventus team to not just win, but win ‘beautifully’. When pushed again on that comment on Friday, Spalletti said: “The beauty lies in the intensity, the running after your opponent. In this style of football, you have to be quick and good at anticipating situations. It’s important to be able to predict, otherwise you won’t find the right space. 

“We have room for improvement, and we will have to see if we can find those spaces because situations can change quickly during games, and you have to be good at capitalising immediately.” 

Spalletti also argued that the way a player interprets space is more important than their ‘position’ in modern-day football. 

“Before, a player’s position gave you an idea of where the others would be, everything was more structured. It’s no longer like that, you have to adapt all the time, players are constantly changing their positions. The spaces are between the opponents, not between the lines. You have to know where your opponents are, you always have to be scanning. 

“That’s what Totti or Del Piero did when they played. With the way they played, they saw the impossible. They could create real situations from nothing, and would bring others up to their level. 

“When Francesco had the ball, Perrotta and Salah were already making runs forward. This is what you need to escape the ‘prisons’ that teams set up for you. Our players could all be like that, now they have to adapt to not having a fixed role, because it takes plays, strength, movement, many different things to win a game.” 

And when asked for more team news ahead of the Roma clash, Spalletti confirmed: “Bremer will play, and we have to make some evaluations on Rugani and Cabal, who have muscular fatigue.”

Spalletti then addressed recent rumours that Jonathan David has become an isolated figure in the Juventus dressing room, and that he has been left out of informal team meals and gatherings. 

That rumour has already been debunked, but in an attempt to defuse the situation further, Spalletti joked that the Canadian had committed a cardinal sin in Italy the last time he was invited out for dinner by his teammates. 

“They made the right call not inviting him,” Spalletti said. “The first time they took him out to dinner, he grated parmesan on seafood pasta and they didn’t invite him again.” 

And when asked about Andrea Cambiaso, Spalletti admitted that the Italian is not currently performing at his best, but insists that he is a great player who will come through this rough patch. 

“He’s a player I like and can do everything, but right now, I prefer to take certain parts of the game away from him. He knows how to do everything, but right now he’s playing a bit below his potential. 

“He was disappointed, but understands the situation. He’s demanding of himself, he wasn’t angry with anyone other than himself. We’ve spoken about it, I’ve shown him some things, he’s someone who reads all the data that is sent to him, and is very self-critical. You have to take the best out of every situation. He’s made reflections and I’ve seen him do great things in training. He can do it all.”