Luciano Spalletti Defends Juventus Amid Crisis and Refereeing ‘Injustices’

Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti didn’t hold back this week ahead of their cruch clash with Como at the weekend.

With the club under pressure and key matches ahead, Spalletti spoke candidly about what he sees as unfair treatment toward his team and shared key injury news.

In his pre-match press conference before taking on Como in Serie A, he defended the club’s decision to challenge Pierre Kalulu’s suspension and gave a glimpse into his plans for Weston McKennie and Jonathan David.

Juventus is in a tough spot ahead of their match against Como. They’ve lost three of their last four games, including a heavy 5-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.

Right now, they sit just one point behind Roma, who are in fourth place.

Challenging the Pierre Kalulu Suspension

Spalletti also addressed Pierre Kalulu’s recent red card in the Derby d’Italia against Inter. Juventus has officially appealed to FIGC President Gabriele Gravina to overturn the suspension—a move Spalletti fully supports.

“It’s the right thing to do because we’re dealing with clear injustices that everyone can see,” Spalletti said. “We have to use this setback as motivation to bounce back in our next game.”

Fitness Updates: Jonathan David and Weston McKennie’s Role

With Bremer out injured and Kalulu suspended, Spalletti admitted the squad is running thin. That means Weston McKennie is all but guaranteed to start on the right side—even though he’s one yellow card away from missing the crucial clash with Roma.

“It’s hard to leave out McKennie, especially with our lack of options on the right,” Spalletti explained.

On a brighter note, January signing Jonathan David has been included in the squad.

He hasn’t trained much recently and isn’t quite ready for a full 90 minutes, but Spalletti confirmed he’ll travel with the team. “We’ll decide whether to start him or bring him off the bench,” the coach said.

Backing Di Gregorio and Looking Ahead

Despite criticism from fans and the media over goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, Spalletti is standing by him.

“We’re all responsible together, so Di Gregorio stays in goal,” he said.

The next week could define Juventus’s season, with matches against Como, Roma, and a rematch with Galatasaray on the horizon. Spalletti remains hopeful, saying: “I believe the team will respond.”