Juventus coach Spalletti reveals how Conceicao ‘needs to develop’ & backs Kelly as a free kick taker | OneFootball

Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti spoke to the press ahead of the Bianconeri’s hotly-anticipated clash with Maurizio Sarri’s struggling Lazio, where, among other topics, the experienced coach spoke on the room for improvement for Francisco Conceicao and Lloyd Kelly, whilst praising both for their efforts.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s match, with quotes via IlBianconero, Spalletti described Englishman Kelly as “an incredibly strong player” but claimed he only sees “a small percentage of his real potential.”

Juventus coach Spalletti: ‘Kelly has a ferocious shot on him, he could take free-kicks!’

Kelly joined Juventus in January of 2025 from Newcastle, in a move that raised some eyebrows.

He initially struggled to settle in at Juventus but under Luciano Spalletti he has improved massively and has become a regular in the team.

BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Lloyd Kelly of Juventus is challenged by Thijs Dallinga of Bologna during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and Juventus FC at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

The coach continued to praise the Englishman: “People think he is only left-footed but he can use his right foot very well too. He is a player with quality in choosing the passes when he pushes out of his section, then can create scoring opportunities for himself going forward too.”

Finally, Spalletti hinted that we could be seeing Kelly step up to take more free kicks for the Bianconeri, “He’s got a ferocious shot on him, so we could even get him to take a few free kicks. He is a complete player.”

Spalletti reveals room for improvement for Conceicao

The Juventus head coach then turned his attention to Portuguese winger Francisco Conceicao, who, arguably, has had the inverse effect to Kelly since Spalletti took over.

A dip in form for the winger is expected as he continues to develop, and Spalletti seems to be clear in how the winger can improve.

“He has to improve, as in modern football you must be able to spot the ball that can change the game,” the coach said.

BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 05: Francisco Conceicao of Juventus runs with the ball during the Coppa Italia Quarter-Final match between Atalanta BC and Juventus FC at the New Balance Arena on February 05, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Those moments last only a few seconds and you’ve got to adapt quickly. The ball obeys an idea first and foremost rather than the foot that kicks it, so you need a precise idea when you make contact. Otherwise, if you go in there without a clear idea, you risk making a mistake, because instinct rarely gives you the right touch.”

He concluded with one final piece of advice for Conceicao, “If you go in there knowing what you want to do, you’ll get the ball under control cleanly and make it go where you want it to.”