Spalletti explains new Juventus roles for Koopmeiners and McKennie | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti explains how he is using Teun Koopmeiners and Weston McKennie on his Juventus Champions League debut against Sporting CP this evening. ‘We need the right attitude.’

It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Napoli-Eintracht Frankfurt on the Liveblog.

CREMONA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 01: Coach Luciano Spalletti of Juventus FC reacts before the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Juventus FC at Stadio Giovanni Zini on November 01, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

So much has changed in the last eight days since Igor Tudor was sacked, as caretaker manager Massimo Brambilla oversaw a 3-1 Serie A win over Udinese, then Spalletti made his debut in Saturday’s 2-1 victory away to Cremonese.

Now they have to play catch-up in the Champions League, having scraped only two points from three rounds, high-scoring draws against Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal, then a 1-0 defeat at Real Madrid.

Spalletti rings the changes at Juventus

TURIN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 16: Felix Nmecha of Borussia Dortmund battles for possession with Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Juventus and Borussia Dortmund at Juventus Stadium on September 16, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

“We need to have the right attitude,” Spalletti told Sky Sport Italia.

“It is essential that we show what is needed for the game, which means chasing them down, and when we have the ball, we must show the level of quality football that we want to propose.”

The big surprise from the first game in charge was using Teun Koopmeiners in a back three, as a very deep-lying playmaker, and he starts there again this evening.

“We talked with the other players too, when Cremonese pressed in numbers, we very quickly managed to turn it into an attacking move. That’s fine, but if tonight the possession is 50-50, then we use up a lot more energy when chasing the ball. That’s the key to it all.”

CREMONA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 01: Romano Floriani Mussolini of US Cremonese and Weston McKennie of Juventus FC fight for the ball during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Juventus FC at Stadio Giovanni Zini on November 01, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

There had also been some doubts over the fitness of Khephren Thuram, but he has shaken off a calf issue to play, with Weston McKennie seemingly on the left wing to protect Kenan Yildiz.

“We are maintaining more or less the same system, but McKennie is very good at putting himself about more or less everywhere,” explained Spalletti.

“He can both defend and attack, allowing Conceicao to open up a bit more. There are many different solutions for him, but he struggles more in the centre of midfield.”