Spalletti admits Juventus became ‘boys’ under pressure, tells the management which profile to sign

“When you go behind, it feels like the whole world is on top of you. We were influenced by the idea of it being an ‘easy game’.

“You try to keep the level high, but these are the matches where you have to be ruthless. Instead, at times we shrink, we become smaller than we are—we become boys in the way we play, making mistakes that are too basic for our level.

“Then, on the other hand, we produce great passages of play and deserve to win, like in the second half, because we pinned them back, forced them to play almost entirely inside their own box—they only had two shots on target.”

Spalletti wants a creative midfielder

Juventus will be looking to bolster their ranks with quality signings in the summer, and Spalletti highlighted the need for a quality midfielder who can add creativity and flair in the final third.

“We’re missing a midfielder who can receive the ball in tight spaces, in difficult zones, between the opposition’s defensive line and midfield.

“Up to now, we’ve compensated by tucking the wingers inside more, because they’re strong in one-on-one situations.

“We’ve also relied on McKennie’s instinct—at times, he has that knack of finding pockets of space where he’s almost invisible to the radar, though less so today. But when you create all these situations in the penalty area, not just the obvious chances, but also those final passes where better decisions could have been made, you have to make them count.”

The main candidate to fill this role is departing Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva, whom Juventus are hoping to sign on a free transfer.

The Bianconeri are one of the 31-year-old’s main suitors, but it remains to be seen if they will prevail over the competition, with Galatasaray and Barcelona said to be interested in the Portuguese playmaker.