Juventus coach takes responsibility after Fiorentina defeat leaves Champions League hopes hanging by a thread
Luciano Spalletti did not hide his frustration after Juventus FC’s heavy defeat against ACF Fiorentina, admitting his side produced “a terrible match” in a result that seriously damages their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Speaking after the loss at the Allianz Stadium, Spalletti immediately turned the criticism toward himself.
“Clearly this is a terrible result,” the Juventus coach said.
“We played a terrible match in many aspects, while in others the episodes didn’t go our way.”
The veteran manager insisted the first person who must answer for the performance is himself.
“Before anything else, I have to question myself. If I arrive at the training ground and my team performs like this, then I have to ask whether I did everything possible to put the players in the right mental condition.”
“This isn’t life or death”
Spalletti also strongly criticized the extreme pressure surrounding the club’s fight for a top-four finish, arguing that football should not be treated as a matter of survival.
“It was a match we had to win, but the matches of life are different things,” he explained.
“This idea that everything is lost, everything is ruined, is the wrong mentality. It turns footballers into prisoners.”
The Juventus coach acknowledged the financial consequences of missing out on the Champions League but warned against turning sporting pressure into psychological overload.
“We know the club loses money without the Champions League, but talking about life-or-death matches is wrong. Players inevitably suffer because of that.”
“We must remember what brought us here”
Despite the collapse, Spalletti tried to focus on the broader picture of the season and the progress he believes the team has made.
“I don’t judge this team only on today because, in my opinion, they’ve done great things and shown important growth,” he said.
“What remains is the football we played, because that is what brought us here.”
The former Italy coach insisted he already has complete clarity regarding both his own future and the squad’s direction.
“I know myself very well—I’ve lived with myself for 68 years,” he added.
No excuses over the transfer market
Spalletti also refused to blame the club’s January transfer business or reopen discussions about missed signings.
“Talking about what would have happened if a striker had arrived in January is just throwing more things into the discussion,” he said.
“I simply had to make sure we played this match better.”
“You love turning people into failures”
Later, in another interview, Spalletti delivered an even stronger response to criticism surrounding Juventus’ season.
“You people love turning others into failures,” he said bluntly.
“You give these results the weight of life or death, as if an entire season has been thrown away.”
While admitting Juventus belong in the Champions League, Spalletti reminded critics how competitive Serie A has become.
“A club like Juventus deserves to be in the Champions League, but only four teams qualify and there are many strong sides.”
He concluded with one final reality check.
“At the moment we are in the Europa League. We could even have been outside Europe completely.”
With one match remaining, Juventus’ Champions League destiny is no longer entirely in their own hands—and Spalletti knows the pressure around the club is only growing.
