Koopmeiners: ‘Juventus have positive vibe under Spalletti’ and new role

Teun Koopmeiners feels the ‘vibe is positive’ at Juventus under Luciano Spalletti and he is relishing his new role in defence. ‘I can help the team here.’

The home match against Cagliari kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium at 17.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Bianconeri had drawn three consecutive matches between Serie A and the Champions League, until their 3-2 victory away to Norwegians Bodo/Glimt in Europe.

Now they hope to create some momentum domestically too, in what would be the first home win under new coach Spalletti.

“We used up a lot of energy midweek, we received a boost, and we hope to do even better than Bodo. We’re a strong squad and I have faith in us today,” Koopmeiners told DAZN Italia.

“The coach is tactically so good, his rapport with the squad is positive. There are things we can all do much better as players, but the vibe is positive and we feel confident.”

Koopmeiners has been ever-present in this new role in a three-man defence, a form of deep-lying playmaker after he had struggled in various midfield positions under Thiago Motta and then Igor Tudor at Juventus.

“I need to give my best in this role for now, I do know it well, as I played there many years ago in the Netherlands. I can help the team, create moves from the back, I feel good at the moment,” said the Dutch international.

“The fans are wonderful, this is a great club with great fans, so this makes me want to play my best football.”

There are some other surprises in the starting XI, most notably that Mattia Perin is chosen in goal rather than Michele Di Gregorio.