Spalletti: Vlahovic is happy to stay at Juventus and contract issues don t bother him
About tomorrow's opponent Sporting CP
Tomorrow's game will be very difficult. Sporting CP is strong. They know how to play football well and have clear tactical ideas. They have done a very good job in adjusting the rotation of player positions, and the personal abilities of the midfielders and frontcourt players are also very strong.
About Yildiz
As a coach, understanding which position a player is more suitable for is a good starting point. When I asked Yildiz, he said that he prefers to play in the center of the left wing or in the midfield on the wing. He is capable of playing both positions - whether as a shadow forward or a winger, he performs well... The only thing that may affect him a little is the need to frequently perform 100-meter switchback runs, but in modern football, players must adapt to such requirements. His skills are excellent, such as being able to use his shoulder to protect the ball from the outside, thus creating space for himself to attack.
What is Juventus’ current goal in the Champions League?
I said before that we must fight for victory, not just pursue the result of victory. There is a difference between 'fighting to win' and 'pursuing victory'. We have a long history to draw from, and as long as it's mathematically possible, we must be determined to fight to win every honour. There is a slogan that goes like this: ‘Not only must we persevere to the end, but we must also surpass the finish line.’ So we must go all out to win every victory.
As for Juventus' victory over Cremonese in the last round of Serie A
, the victory was attributed to the players, and I did not interfere too much. Thank you all for the compliments, but I would also like to congratulate the players. They took my requests seriously and performed in line with my expectations on the field. They have always been a united group with few disagreements. We had an extra practice session today with the aim of communicating better - and I was gratified that the players looked at me with such concentration. As soon as I say, ‘What should we do,’ they do it. For me, this is crucial and shows the players' desire to improve and perform well. Whether it is from a football professional level or a personal character level, this Juventus team is now a great team.
Do you have a specific approach to preparing for a tough game like tomorrow?
It is a blessing to participate in the Champions League because it is the top competition in football. To gain a foothold in this competition, we must have a clear understanding of ‘team’ and have a strong personality to uphold this team concept. We have to have the courage to decide how we want to play. Typically, there are three choices in a game: the right choice, the wrong choice, and not sure what to do. The worst of them all is ‘uncertainty’, even worse than ‘wrong choice’. ‘Playing every three days’ is no excuse, we have to get over it – I’m talking to my players. This is football, we have to play every three days and there is no way out.
Is Yildiz's current condition suitable for the competition?
He is ready to play. I'm lucky because I've coached some great players, and Yildiz is one of those players who gets a lot of attention on social media all season long.
About Cambiaso and Vlahovich
The two players you mentioned are crucial to our team. Cambiaso is a very modern player, he is very strong and can provide a variety of solutions for the team, because he not only performs well himself, but also helps his teammates integrate into the game. However, he still needs to become stronger mentally, and there is still a lot of work to be done. Vlahovich has a slight advantage in withstanding pressure because he is used to the pressure brought by wearing the jersey of such a wealthy team. I talked to Vlahovic and he said that he is very happy to stay here. The contract issue does not bother him. All he wants now is to play well.
What qualities do you hope to see Juventus display in tomorrow’s game?
At the end of the last game, I kept shouting instructions from the sidelines, and I became hoarse from shouting. I hope to see tomorrow that the players can recall a little bit about what we did in today's training and use what we emphasized in today's training in the game. If we can do this, I will be very satisfied.
Mini-game recommendations:Mighty Action Heroes
