In Vigo, where Juventus left Balaídos with a 2-1 Europa League defeat to Celta, the most visible tension of the night came not from the scoreboard but from the visiting bench. Francisco Conceição reacted angrily after Luciano Spalletti withdrew him in the 65th minute, prompting a public response from the Juventus coach and a subsequent denial from the Portugal international that he had argued with staff.
Key takeaways
- Conceição was replaced midway through the second half of Juventus’ Europa League loss at Celta.
- The Portuguese winger struck the bench as he came off and appeared to exchange words near the dugout.
- Spalletti said the player should be directing any frustration towards his own display.
- Conceição insisted that no confrontation took place with any member of the coaching team.
A difficult evening in Vigo
The incident followed Conceição’s removal in the 65th minute of the match in Galicia. The former Porto player did not hide his disappointment, hitting the bench before heading away from the technical area. His actions appeared to include a brief verbal exchange with one of Spalletti’s assistants.
Spalletti addressed the episode after the final whistle, making clear that he expected the winger to assess his contribution rather than contest the decision. “He had better be angry with himself,” the coach said. “If he has something to say, I think he is upset about his performance. If that was his attitude, even though my staff told me it was not, we will see how to put it right.”
Conceição rejects claim of an argument
Conceição later denied any dispute with Juventus staff. He said he left the pitch, gave the bench a small knock and walked away, but did not argue with anyone.
The Portugal international added that he naturally wanted to remain on the field, yet maintained there had been no conversation with the coaching staff. Instead, he said, he went to the dressing room to change his shirt before returning.
