Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti was firmly convinced of his team’s ability to pull off a comeback when his team was trailing Roma by two goals.
Only four days following the heartbreaking Champions League elimination at the hands of Galatasaray, the Bianconeri risked getting blown away from the Top-Four race as they travelled to Rome for a crucial six-pointer.
The Giallorossi entered the contest with a four-point advantage over their northern rivals, and they were only minutes away from opening a major seven-point gap.
However, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men squandered a two-goal cushion, as Juventus rallied from behind to earn a vital draw that kept their Champions League hopes alive and kicking.
Luciano Spalletti hails Juventus reaction against Roma
After the thrilling 3-3 contest, Spalletti insisted that he still believed in his team’s ability to claw their way back to the game.
As the coach explained, the players’ reaction after conceding the third goal proved they were mentally capable of mounting a comeback.
“The mindset was the right one — they earned a draw they deserved,” said the Juventus boss in his post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia (via IlBianconero).
“Midway through the first half, the feeling was even better; we had chances we should have taken. In the end, everything becomes real based on how well you’ve prepared physically and mentally.
“Yes, we’ve conceded too many goals. But then you’re up against a side like Roma, and the way they press as a unit weighs on you — they absorb, they hammer away constantly and make you work. The three goals we conceded could have been avoided.
“We arrived late, or didn’t battle the way we should at key moments when a certain action was required. But after it went 3-1 down, they were demanding the ball — and that’s the best signal a coach can receive.”
Spalletti realises Juventus still have a long way to go
Spalletti admitted his players were at times wasteful in possession, but he believes this was down to exhaustion, following 120 gruelling minutes against Galatasaray.”
“In the first half, we won the ball back and looked to break quickly, trying to finish moves as soon as possible.
“We misplaced passes that, had we not played so many minutes on Wednesday, we probably would have executed better.”
Finally, the Tuscan coach acknowledged that Juventus took backward steps in recent weeks, so the team remains a work in progress.
“There’s been a dip in quality. At one stage of the season, I felt the team was ready to take off, then two or three things happened that set us back and knocked some of our certainties.
“For a moment, I truly believed I could recreate the enthusiasm we showed against Napoli — that sense of not belonging to one fixed role but everyone contributing quality, feeding off each other.
“Instead, we took a step back. Seeing them today wrestle the game back into their own hands shows I’m dealing with outstanding people.”
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