Spalletti: ‘Juventus lost balance through desire to win’ in 3-2 at Sassuolo
REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 13: Luciano Spalletti Head Coach of Juventus looks on prior to the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and Juventus at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on September 13, 2026 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)
Luciano Spalletti is torn after the 3-2 defeat to Sassuolo, insisting that Juventus ‘created the chances to turn it around, but lost balance through our desire to win.’
It was a wild encounter at the Mapei Stadium, as the Bianconeri had conceded just one goal in the first three rounds, yet let in three here alone.
They had twice managed to claw their way back on level terms with the first goals scored in a Juve jersey by Edon Zhegrova, who made a massive impact off the bench.
However, Sebastiano Esposito, Kieron Bowie and with the last kick of the game Vasilije Adzic, who is on loan from the Old Lady, sealed the 3-2 victory for Sassuolo.
Spalletti admits Juventus at fault
“It hurts because the team could’ve won it at the end, and deserved to turn it around, but clearly we lost balance and that shouldn’t happen,” Spalletti told DAZN Italia.
“With eight players going forward to attack the ball, it left huge gaps at the back. Yet we had the chances to win it 3-2 earlier, so the players thought they could win it, and I was the one who pushed them on to go and win it, but perhaps they took me a bit too literally and everyone joined in the attack at once.
“We have to take the positive intentions of wanting to win at all costs, and I think they had created the situations to turn it around for all three points. We were at the end, though, and too unbalanced, leaving those spaces is no doubt our fault, but it comes from the desire to win.”
On the first goal, the offside trap failed and Juventus seemed oddly passive after a throw-in, letting Sassuolo pass it around.
“We weren’t aggressive enough and then the line was too high, leaving those spaces, so we take the blame for that. It’s certainly something we need to improve,” confessed Spalletti.
Juve are in the middle of an injury crisis, missing Manuel Locatelli, Jeremie Boga, Weston McKennie, Andrea Cambiaso, Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Jeff Ekhator and Juan Cabal.
Randal Kolo Muani was again ineffective, while substitute Nick Woltemade turned a free header wide in stoppages.
“We’ve got to give the ball to Kolo Muani, because when it’s crowded in midfield, it means they are man for man, so we need him to hold up the ball. Instead, we didn’t seek him enough, although at times it’s true he also needs to be more determined.”
The one positive from the night was Zhegrova, who had been expected to leave Juve this summer and hadn’t scored in a competitive match since November 2024, but netted twice today.
“This is the strength of Zhegrova, that he becomes unpredictable and unstoppable when he takes men on. He might hold the ball a bit too long and not pass it quickly enough, with Kalulu in one situation waiting for it, and he doesn’t chase his man down on the flank. However, if you are attacking and in the opposition half only, then Zhegrova is an incredible player.”
Spalletti had Alberto Aquilani in his midfield at Roma, so how does it feel seeing the pupil beat the master?
“Aquilani already had quality when he was playing and I recognise that vision in his team today. I still say we had created the situation to turn it around, but then lost our balance,” concluded Spalletti.
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