Spalletti and Di Gregorio: Great desire ahead of Sporting clash | OneFootball

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at 9:00 PM CET, the Bianconeri will host Sporting CP at the Allianz Stadium for Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League League Phase.

Coach Luciano Spalletti and Michele Di Gregorio spoke ahead of the match against the Portuguese side at a press conference.

MICHELE DI GREGORIO

THE GROUP

"The dressing room is definitely better; when you win, the spirits are high. However, we must continue on this path because we're only at the beginning and it's important to build on these two victories. When there's a dismissal, the first ones to feel responsible are the players. We asked ourselves what was wrong, we tried to have an even stronger attitude, to take greater responsibility. I think the match against Udinese showed a different kind of attitude. Responsibility was the word we used most among ourselves in the dressing room after Roma's defeat against Lazio.

"Koopmeiners as a defender? Teun is a serious guy, a great professional, and a strong player. The other night he played in a position he'd never played before with us, but when someone has quality, they can adapt. My season goals from here? I hope I can continue to improve and help the team.

THE OBJECTIVES

"When you're at Juventus, you have clear goals. It's a club accustomed to winning, so you always try to lay the foundations to perform well, game after game, and only by thinking game after game can you achieve the bigger goals you set for yourself.

MISTER SPALLETTI

"The coach is an ambitious man. We haven't done much actual work on the pitch because we're on the pitch practically every three days these days. We've certainly been impressed by his determination, his desire, and, indeed, his ambition. We want to get involved, and I'm convinced we're headed in the right direction. The Champions League matches? They prepare themselves. The energy is always there, it can't be anything less. Juventus must go as far as possible in this competition."

LUCIANO SPALLETTI

THE VICTORY AGAINST CREMONESE

"I was happy to have made certain decisions in Cremona because they provided me with information that I could use to progress with my work. The victory in Cremona is entirely thanks to our players. Their responses on the pitch were exactly what I expected. I rarely found them to be slow, except on a few rare occasions, but what has struck me most in these first few days are the eyes with which these guys look at me. Their eyes speak volumes about the willingness and desire this group has.

SPORTING CP

"Tomorrow will be a very difficult match. We'll be facing Sporting CP, a team that plays good football. Since Borges has been at the club, they've had a clear vision of the game. They're difficult to read as a team; they're very good at switching roles and have great quality in the attacking midfield. The Champions League is a fascinating competition. If football were a hotel, the Champions League would be its most beautiful room, its suite.

TEAM NEWS

"A good starting point for anyone is to ask the other person what conditions they perform best in. In Yildiz's case, when asked about his position, he replied that he likes to play both wider, on the outside, and as a second striker. Kenan will be available tomorrow. Who does he remind me of? Of the most recent players I've had, I'd definitely say Khvaratskhelia. Someone I coached many years ago who got less visibility than he deserved was Di Natale. Yildiz is one of those players who fills everyone's Instagram with great plays at the end of the season.

"Cambiaso? Andrea is crucial to our team. He's an extremely modern player. In today's football, there are no longer pre-established roles; you need to be able to maneuver well in multiple areas of the pitch. Andrea is a strong, very strong player, who offers you so many options on the pitch. If we want to find a flaw in him (laughs), he needs to improve his headers.

"Vlahovic? Dusan has a bit of an advantage over other players because he knows what's expected here at Juventus when you step onto the pitch wearing this jersey. I spoke to him recently, and he's very happy here. He doesn't mind knowing his contract is expiring, and the other night, like against Udinese, he gave splendid responses in every way."