Juventus coach confirms Yildiz and Bremer are in the squad, urges the Allianz crowd to push the team, and shields Di Gregorio from the backlash
Juventus are staring at a mountain in the Champions League — but Luciano Spalletti wants his team to climb it with the entire stadium at their back.
Ahead of Wednesday night’s playoff return leg against Galatasaray, the Juve boss struck a tone that mixed realism with defiance. After the 5–2 collapse in Istanbul and a bruising 2–0 home loss to Como, Spalletti called on the Allianz Stadium crowd to turn the night into something bigger than tactics and formations.
“There are matches you don’t simply play — you compose them,” he said. “You have to create a context. We need the heart of our fans. With our people, we’re stronger.”
“A Delicate Moment — Help Us Get Through It”
Spalletti didn’t dodge the reality of the situation. Juventus know their odds are slim, and the pressure around the club is intense. That’s exactly why the coach is leaning into the environment.
“We know it’s a difficult and delicate moment,” he admitted. “We’re asking the public to stay close to us. We’ll fight until the end of the match. We may have few chances, but we want to play every single one.”
That message isn’t just for supporters. It’s also aimed at a squad that, in Spalletti’s own words, hasn’t looked like itself lately.
“What we’re doing right now doesn’t reflect who we are,” he said. “Statistics aren’t the final judgment. The real accounting is done at the end.”
Yildiz Back: “He’s Already a Leader”
One of the biggest boosts comes from Kenan Yildiz, who returns to the squad after training partially with the group. Spalletti described the young star in unusually strong terms — not as a prospect, but as a cornerstone.
“For us, he’s already a leader even though he’s very young,” Spalletti said. “He stays calm in difficult moments. And lately he’s shown he wants to be here — he’s a reference point.”
Then came the detail that sounded like a locker-room turning point: Yildiz personally reassured his coach that he was ready.
“He came to me and said, ‘I’m here, I’m fine,’” Spalletti revealed. “That says a lot.”
Bremer Also Returns: “Black-and-White DNA”
Spalletti also confirmed Gleison Bremer will be called up and could be used during the match — a notable development for a Juventus defense that has looked fragile in recent weeks.
“He’ll be in the squad and can be used,” Spalletti said. “He’s made of the same stuff as Yildiz — Juventus stuff.”
No Scapegoats: Spalletti Protects Di Gregorio
If the tension around the club has a symbol, it’s goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, who has taken heavy criticism after costly goals. Spalletti’s response was firm: Juventus will not sacrifice anyone to calm the noise.
“As a group, we’re not putting anyone out there to be fed to criticism,” he said. “You have to develop the ability to accept being disliked — otherwise you depend on other people’s eyes.”
Spalletti did acknowledge the Como goal involved an error, but pointed the finger back at the collective.
“We shouldn’t have allowed the opponent to get the shot off,” he explained. “We needed to move the ball better.”
He also offered no clear hint on whether Di Gregorio or Perin will start: “We’ll make evaluations to put everyone in the least difficult situation possible.”
One Goal First — Then the Match Changes
Juventus need a miracle on paper, but Spalletti insisted the mindset can’t be “three goals or nothing” from the opening whistle.
“We can’t start thinking we need three goals, even if that’s the truth,” he said. “We have to think about scoring one. Then the scenarios change, and everything feeds itself.”
For now, he says, there will be no talk of the future — only survival.
“We reset as best we could. The day off helped,” Spalletti added. “We face this match, and only after the result will we think about anything else.”
