Juventus: Spalletti lashes out after the game: “I’ve said it 45 times.” What happened?

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti did not hide his frustration during the press conference following the 2-2 draw with Fiorentina. The Bianconeri are currently six points behind the Champions League spots and still can’t seem to shift into high gear.

When asked about the issue, Spalletti snapped in the press room: “You tell us this all the time. You tell us this every time we’re out of European competition, that we have to win the league and the Europa League. You tell us this every single time. For heaven’s sake, guys, we get it. Everyone gets it. I’ve told you 45 times—I’m still confident. If I’m still here, it’s because certain issues have been resolved.”

“I’m looking for a way to improve, and we’re close—because we played a great stretch of the game tonight. We just lack consistency over the full 90 minutes given the quality we have,” continued the Tuscan coach.

During the match at the Artemio Franchi Stadium, part of Matchday 11, Fiorentina took the lead after just 4 minutes thanks to Mateo Pellegrino, who capitalized on a corner kick taken by Gonçalves. In the 32nd minute, Woltemade equalized off an assist from Kolo Muani. In the second half, the Viola regained the lead in the 54th minute through Njie, capitalizing on a clumsy play by Bremer, who made amends in the 67th minute by heading in the final goal to tie the game at 2-2. In the closing minutes, Dragusin scored what would have been the go-ahead goal to make it 3-2, but referee Andrea Colombo disallowed it for a foul on Bremer, while Vicario preserved the draw by denying first Brescianini and then Mastantuono.

The main talking point after the match, however, remains the missed penalty call for a handball by Joao Mario—a former Juventus player on loan to Fiorentina—in the 79th minute. Colombo let play continue, and the VAR did not intervene. Spalletti was scathing about the incident: “I don’t need to review it; I already saw it on the field. I don’t know what to say. Can I have the next question?” According to refereeing expert Luca Marelli on DAZN, “the arm was too far out to be considered non-punishable,” while former referee coordinator Gianluca Rocchi noted that “there would have been time to react and pull the arm back.” Former referee Gianpaolo Calvarese took the opposite view, arguing that the decision to let play continue is “justifiable.”