Spalletti confirms Juventus rotation against Bodo/Glimt, rules out formation change | OneFootball

Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti reveals that the team will maintain the same tactical shape against Bodo/Glimt, but with changes in personnel.

The Old Lady will be desperate for the victory on Norwegian soil after failing to prevail in the four attempts in the Champions League this season.

The Bianconeri spent two days preparing on Vinovo’s synthetic pitch before travelling to Scandinavia on Monday afternoon.

(Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Nevertheless, Spalletti doesn’t deny the difficulty of the task that awaits his players, as they will have to endure challenging conditions.

“It’s an extremely tough match,” admitted the 66-year-old in his pre-match interview with Sky Sport Italia via IlBianconero.

“We were joking with the players as soon as we met up, since they were still trying to get their day started. I told them: ‘Don’t expect it to be hard — it’s more than that.’ I’ve dealt with these pitches before; the habits are different, and so is breathing this sharp, freezing air that hits you in the eyes.

“At times, depending on the wind, you can’t even keep them open. But there’s always a taste for the challenge in situations like these.”

Luciano Spalletti won’t change Juventus system against Bodo/Glimt

After three straight draws, Juventus supporters may be low on confidence, but Spalletti insists that the team hasn’t been as bad as painted in the media, as he reveals that the 3-4-2-1 system will be maintained, at least for the time being.

“Upending everything feels a bit premature right now. We didn’t play well, but we didn’t play poorly either — we’re somewhere in between.

“If we can add a few more things that are already within our reach, we can raise the level. From what I’ve seen, the qualities are all there; we just need to recognise them and raise the individual standard, which still isn’t at its peak.”

Jonathan David or Lois Openda to start for Juventus?

Spalletti was also asked about his two struggling strikers, Lois Openda and Jonathan David. He hinted that one of them could replace Dusan Vlahovic up front as part of a necessary rotation.

“From my perspective, it becomes easy — it depends on how available they are when they train after not playing.

“The boys are spot on; they want to be involved, to show their qualities. Tomorrow I’ll make some changes because I have to; otherwise, you risk losing confidence.”

Finally, the former Italy manager is encouraging his players to get out of the box and roam all over the pitch, as long as they can maintain balance.

“On the pitch there’s no longer a rigidity of roles — what may look like disorder is actually freedom. In that freedom, you need to find balance. This constant rotation of roles and search for positions is an advantage.”