Juventus, Spalletti in conference before Pisa: "It will be very difficult. And about the renewal..."

The Juventus needs to shake things up after a February that has brought the Bianconeri just 2 points in their last four matches and elimination from the Champions League and Coppa Italia. Tomorrow, Spalletti's team will return to their home crowd for the Serie A clash against Pisa, which could allow them to regain ground in the Champions League race. On the eve of the match, Luciano Spalletti held the customary press conference in which he confirmed his optimism for the end of the season: "I am convinced that we will do well because we have shown some things as a real team despite the adversities. These are aspects that emerge especially in difficulties. Now we will play matches in a more correct order of timing, which is allowing us to recover physical and mental strength."

The conditions of doubtful players

The coach continued the conference by updating on the unavailable players: "Vlahovic aims to return for Udine, he will not be there tomorrow. Milik will also be missing; he is training well but has some reflexes that do not leave us calm. He has shown to be a strong player, which is why we are considering him for the end of the season. Gatti has recovered and is available. Yildiz has a significant hematoma, but he is one of those very tough players. It is often said that if talent does not have a strong personality base, it leads nowhere, but he has a great character, so he always wants to be there. A strong player has to deal with opponents; those who face him always put the best defender on him, and the hits come. His task is also to engage the opponents to give more freedom to his teammates."

The reading of the match and the position on Di Gregorio and Koopmeiners

"It will be a very difficult match - Spalletti explained - because the whole environment thinks it is a game to be won against a team that has already been relegated. But I am convinced that, picking up on the discussions before Gilardino and then Hiljemark, Pisa still has some motivations. I know that certain things can trigger in the players' minds, talking about an easy match can make the favorites superficial but I believe my players will take it seriously. Will Di Gregorio play? I will give the lineup tomorrow, but I was saddened by the things I heard about him. Judging individuals is not fair when the problems concern the collective." When asked about the use of Koopmeiners on the field, he replied: "For me, he is much stronger when he starts the action and participates in the build-up. Playing him with his back to the goal puts him in difficulty, even though he can still manage because he is a strong player who can be in a team like this. Even without continuity, he has done well when I called him, he deserves more playing time but the lineup has to be considered with 16 and not just 11 players."

The renewal issue

When asked about a possible contract renewal, currently set to expire in June 2026, Spalletti clarified: "Juventus has always existed to achieve certain goals and the numbers say we are not where we would like to be. We will talk about my future and that of Juventus this week but we are tied to the present. What matters is what the team is doing in these matches. I have already discussed my contract with the club, we are close, the only thing left is for me to live in the same building as Comolli or Chiellini."