Spalletti: Juventus at a ‘disadvantage’ compared to Bodo/Glimt in Champions League | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti believes that Juventus are at a disadvantage ahead of their Champions League tie away against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening, largely due to the below-freezing temperature and artificial pitch at the Aspmyra Stadion in Norway.

The Bianconeri are still looking for their first Champions League win of the season, having picked up draws against Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal and Sporting CP and a 1-0 loss against Real Madrid so far this campaign.

With just three points to their name so far, Juventus sit outside of the knock-out places as things stand, in 26th place, two above Tuesday’s hosts, who have drawn two and lost two of their opening four matches in Europe this term.

Spalletti: ‘The pitch and climate are a disadvantage for Juventus’

FLORENCE, ITALY – NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Luciano Spalletti manager of Juventus FC reacts 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)

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday evening, Spalletti urged for a sense of calmness, insisting things are not as bad as some have made out following the 1-1 draw with struggling Fiorentina over the weekend.

“Let’s take things one at a time, because it’s been made out that we’ve had a disaster. The players did not do as badly as everyone has made out. I was the first one to admit that we have to do more, and get ourselves out of this. We have to use the resources we have and make use of our qualities. I’ve seen the desire of this team.”

Turning his attention to Tuesday’s test against Bodo/Glimt, Spalletti said: “The pitch and climate are a disadvantage. I’m lucky enough to have worked abroad. The air you take in is different, it’s so cold and we’re not used to it. It’s a matter of habits that are different to ours.

“Our desire needs to make up for this gap that exists between the two teams. They’re very good at identifying players, it’s not just the pitch and the cold. They have a lot of value and have done well in international competition.”

What does Spalletti expect to see from his players in Norway on Tuesday night?

“It’s another part of the story, and I hope they know how to adapt. They need to know how to deal with a machine that works hard and has made life difficult for everyone. If we want to be on equal footing, we have to be the ones to recognise their speed and play technically good football, even on a pitch like this.

FLORENCE, ITALY – NOVEMBER 22: Manuel Locatelli of Juventus FC in action 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)

“In Florence, the ball moved too slowly in the first half, and we had to play through the middle to try and find solutions. I saw different things in the second half. We have a lot of quality, but we have to do well in terms of completed passes, and not give our opponents a chance to hurt us.

“We have to get used to the weather tomorrow, not make too many mistakes, and play well ourselves. We have done well at punishing teams, but we also have to create space and make it ourselves. We need to be looking beyond the first pass, we have to improve on that and I expect us to do so.”

How will the artificial pitch impact Juventus’s game tomorrow night?

“The pitch and the climate are a disadvantage,” Spalletti replied. “It’s a real difficulty because of the bounce, the way the ball behaves. That could definitely cost us, but we will deal with it. We’ve all had fears before, we face up to them and adapt. The pitch affects us, but we want to put in our own good performance.”

BODO, NORWAY – APRIL 09: A general view of the Aspmyra Stadion during a S.S. Lazio training session and press conference ahead of their UEFA Europa League 2024/25 quarter final first leg match on April 09, 2025 in Bodo, Norway. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Is there anything that Juventus can learn from Lazio’s recent battle with Bodo/Glimt last season?

“They play well, but I speak directly with my players. They have to understand that tomorrow is a very difficult game. We’ve seen it all, along with our match analysts. Pace makes the difference, but we’re already alert to that and want to be at the top. We don’t want to play easy games, we want to play difficult matches, adapt and receive recognition because of it.”

When asked if he will swap to a back four against Bodo/Glimt, Spalletti admitted that he will make a few alterations to his starting line-up.

“We will change some players around. We can’t leave any spaces inside, because they’re a very strong team and know how to play narrow. We have to stay inside and make them play around us.”