Neto’s return to Juventus has begun away from the matchday spotlight, but with a familiar feeling around Continassa. The Brazilian goalkeeper was not selected for the friendly against Cremonese, a 1-0 defeat for Juventus, yet he remained close to the group as the club continued its work on the training ground.
Nine years after his previous spell in Turin, Neto has come back to a Juventus environment that he recognises in spirit, if not entirely in appearance. He said the scale of the club’s development, particularly its facilities, had made a strong impression.
Quick facts
- Juventus lost 1-0 to Cremonese in a friendly at Continassa.
- Neto was not included in the squad but watched the test with the team.
- The Brazilian goalkeeper has returned to Juventus nine years after leaving the club.
- He described his first contact with coach Luciano Spalletti as positive.
- Neto said Juventus contacted him while he was watching Brazil’s Davis Cup tie against Switzerland.
The goalkeeper sees quality in the current squad and believes there is a platform to bring Juventus back towards the standards expected in the championship. “I found a strong team with great ability,” he said. “We can get back to the results Juventus are used to and achieve important things.”
Neto had not previously worked under Spalletti, but his early assessment of the coach was encouraging. He also spoke of a constructive mood within the camp, saying he had felt “healthy, positive energy” since arriving.
The call from Juventus came during a quieter stage in his career. Neto explained that he had been spending time with his family after many years in football, using the period to focus on himself and clear his mind.
When Juventus made contact, he was following Brazil’s Davis Cup meeting with Switzerland. The prospect of returning to Italy carried particular weight for a player who had felt a growing desire to come back to the country in recent years.
“I feel well here and I feel at home,” Neto said. He added that, despite considerable changes at Juventus since his first spell, he did not feel he needed a prolonged period of adaptation.
Having played for clubs in different countries, Neto praised Juventus for the transformation of their infrastructure. For a goalkeeper returning to Turin after almost a decade, the immediate task is to settle into Spalletti’s group; the wider message is that he has arrived convinced he is back in the right place.
