Kalulu: Juventus must ‘kill games’ earlier after Fiorentina draw – ‘For me, it was a penalty on Vlahovic’ | OneFootball

Pierre Kalulu admitted Juventus only had themselves to blame after letting Fiorentina back into the match on Saturday afternoon, insisting the team must become more ruthless when they take control of games.

Speaking after the 1-1 draw at the Franchi, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb, the defender said Juve created enough to leave with all three points but paid the price for a series of avoidable mistakes. “It was a difficult pitch and we made too many errors,” he reflected. “We tried until the end but it wasn’t enough. We know we have to improve, and we’re confident going into the next matches.”

Kalulu avoided comparing tactical demands between coaching staffs, joking that he didn’t want to “say something stupid,” but stressed that Juventus need a sharper instinct when leading.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JUNE 26: Pierre Kalulu #15 of Juventus FC reacts after conceding an own goal scored for Manchester City’s second goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group G match between Juventus FC and Manchester City FC at Camping World Stadium on June 26, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

“When we have an advantage over a team, we need to ‘kill’ the opponent more,” he explained. “We don’t always manage it, and that gives the other side hope. In Serie A you can’t afford those mistakes.”

Fiorentina 1-1 Juventus – Kalulu

He also weighed in on the penalty controversy involving Dušan Vlahović. The Frenchman felt the striker had been impeded. “I need to watch it again, but for me Vlahović was pulled back,” he said. “For me, it was a penalty.”

Kalulu dismissed suggestions that Vlahović had lost his composure. He instead pointed to the hostile atmosphere inside the stadium. “No, he wasn’t nervous,” Kalulu insisted. “He reacted to the chants – that’s normal for any human being. They’re ugly gestures to see and hear.”

FLORENCE, ITALY – NOVEMBER 22: Daniele Doveri referee and Luca Ranieri of ACF Fiorentina and Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus FC during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Juventus FC at Artemio Franchi on November 22, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

The draw keeps Juventus in the hunt, but Kalulu’s message was clear: the Bianconeri must start turning control into victories if they want to stay on track.