Spalletti and Thuram: The Benfica match is important for us and them | OneFootball

Tomorrow evening, Wednesday 21 January 2026, at 21:00 CET, the Juventus Men's First Team will host Benfica at the Allianz Stadium on Matchday Seven of the UEFA Champions League League Phase.

Coach Luciano Spalletti and Khephren Thuram previewed the match against the Portuguese side at a press conference.

KHEPHREN THURAM

"The match against Benfica will be an important one. We can call it a direct confrontation, but we're not looking at the table. When you play for Juventus, you always play to win.

My style of play has changed a bit with the arrival of the manager and his staff. Now I try to look for goals more, and I think that can be useful for the team.

Juventus has changed me a lot. Before I arrived here, I was younger and only thought about training. When I arrived at this club, I realised that every day is important, certainly every training session, but also the way you live off the pitch, starting with your habits.

We have a squad with very strong players. When you win, of course, you feel even stronger, but in general, I think this squad has a lot of talent. [Vasilije] Adzic and [Fabio] Miretti? They are two talented players. Fabio works every day to improve himself. Vasilije also has the right mindset; he is younger, but he has important qualities.

I really like Spalletti's style of football. He asks me to be an intelligent player who anticipates the timing of plays in both phases. For me, it's important to grow as a player, it's important for the team to grow and to win as many games as possible."

LUCIANO SPALLETTI

"When you play against teams like Benfica, you're not just facing an opponent, but a piece of football history, an identity. It's a team that has what it takes to play against anyone. Even when they lost, the matches were difficult for their opponents, they were tough. They have important qualities, they keep the ball on the ground and play at a very high tempo. They make the pitch very busy, leaving the full-backs free to attack.

Portuguese football is offensive and proactive. It's an important challenge for us and for them, it's a direct confrontation and I expect Benfica to be aggressive and come out to play their game. They will be forced to impose their identity on the match and I am convinced that it will be an interesting game. Portuguese teams draw you into their rhythm, and if you're not careful, you end up in it, and by the time you realise, it's too late. I expect our players to be ready. We'll have to be careful from the start to the end of the match.

We are looking for consistency because every player has their own characteristics, and it is essential to see how they work together as a whole. We are exploring new concepts that will help us achieve a superior identity that will allow us to impress those who see us play.

We are on the right track because the team is curious and constantly looking for new ideas. I always say that you have to improve your skills to score goals, to have the next pass already in mind before you receive the ball."