Spalletti Critiques Juventus' Second-Half Display Despite Genoa Win

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti expressed his dissatisfaction with the team's second-half performance during their 2-0 Serie A victory over Genoa on Monday evening. He candidly stated that even after six or seven months at the club's helm, he remains "unsure what I'm dealing with" regarding his squad's consistency.

The Bianconeri secured a 2-0 win on Easter Monday, thanks to first-half goals from Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie. However, Spalletti highlighted a crucial moment when substitute goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio saved a penalty after halftime. The coach suggested that if the penalty had been converted, the match could have become "very difficult" for Juventus.

Despite this win bringing Juventus within a point of Como for a top-four spot in Serie A, Spalletti was clearly frustrated by certain aspects of his players' performance, particularly in the second half against Genoa.

Addressing suggestions that the team appeared fatigued, Spalletti refuted the claim. He emphasized that his players had been given ample rest leading up to the game. "It wasn’t tiredness; we didn’t train yesterday or the day before," Spalletti told Sky post-match. "I left them alone because they needed to recover. They had two days off, a training session and a half, and then they took a break, so that’s not the case."

Spalletti admitted his ongoing struggle to predict his team's performance, even after several months in charge. "Sometimes we have to accept that we aren’t the best versions of ourselves. After six or seven months here, I’m still not sure what I’m dealing with," he reiterated. "It's not possible to have a first half like that and then a second half like this. And if they go ahead and score the penalty, it becomes a very difficult evening."

Adding to the concerns are potential injuries to key players. Dusan Vlahovic was slated to come on but reportedly felt a calf issue during warm-up, while goalkeeper Perin was substituted at halftime due to a similar calf problem.

"There is concern because they both got hurt; they both felt a muscle go," Spalletti confirmed. "We need them to have tests to understand how long it will take to get them back on the pitch."