Juventus left Cagliari with a point, but not with the calm that Lucio Spalletti had demanded from his side. Kolo Muani’s diving finish rescued the Bianconeri after a long spell of unproductive possession, with the coach throwing attacking options forward as the match slipped away. By the final whistle, the equaliser had been accompanied by a touchline confrontation, a red card for Spalletti and another reminder of how thin the margin has become around Juventus’ season.
Spalletti and Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane exchanged words as the tension rose. The Juventus manager played down the incident afterwards, saying he had told Pisacane that Cagliari were a good side who played well and knew how to manage the clock. Pisacane replied, and both men were then sent off. Pisacane took a different view of the ending, saying the exchange could have concluded with an embrace, while suggesting that Spalletti had arrived concerned about the challenge Cagliari could present. For the Rossoblu coach, putting Juventus under pressure was proof that his team were moving in the right direction.
The draw also exposed Spalletti’s frustration with a match he felt Juventus should have won. He explained that he had altered the set-up during the first half, around the 25-minute mark, moving Weston McKennie to the left and using Nico Gonzalez closer to the penalty area as a second striker. The adjustment, he said, was already in place before Kolo Muani found the decisive route through a crowded box.
Spalletti pointed to Gonzalez’s aerial ability and insisted that the tactical system was not the central issue. “The team need determination and a strong mentality,” he said. “I am not playing for the result of one match; I am trying to finish my career well. I am nearly 70 and I want to do a good job.” He described the performance as a strong one and said Juventus would win many matches if they continued at that level, though he admitted anger at dropping points from a game he believed should have been theirs.
Kolo Muani earned praise for his work in the congestion of the area, but Spalletti returned to the wider issue of character and control. Juventus, he said, must find a way to draw more consistently on the squad’s potential and contribute something extra when the game demands it.
European trip arrives amid an injury strain
The Cagliari match brought one small positive on the squad front, with Juan Cabal included among the available players for the first time this season. Juventus had hoped to move the Colombian on during the summer as part of a plan to recruit another left-back, but he has not featured since the difficult night in Istanbul that ended with the club’s Champions League exit. Between now and January, he could become a useful option, particularly in the Europa League, if he can reclaim a place in Spalletti’s plans.
Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli and Grabara remain unavailable. The outlook is particularly concerning for Thuram, Locatelli and Grabara, whose campaigns may already be over. Yildiz is expected back at the beginning of December, while Ekhator and Boga are nearer to returning and are targeting the end of October. Brazilian goalkeeper Neto, recently signed as cover for Vicario, will be on the bench in Vigo after missing the Cagliari trip through suspension.
Juventus now turn towards Thursday night’s Europa League meeting with Celta Vigo at Balaidos, kicking off at 21:00. The stadium holds 24,000 and was the venue for two of Italy’s opening three matches, against Poland and Cameroon, at the 1982 World Cup.
Celta arrive after a goalless league draw away to Elche, their fifth draw in eight domestic fixtures under Claudio Giraldez. Their European campaign began with a 1-0 defeat at Omonia Nicosia, where they conceded late in Cyprus. Juventus, meanwhile, travel after their five-goal win over NEC and will look to create separation in the Europa League standings.
Spalletti is expected to rotate where circumstances allow, although his UEFA squad does not include Zhegrova or Rugani. Federico Gatti, Lloyd Kelly, Andrea Cambiaso, Woltemade, Alajbegovic and Teun Koopmeiners are among those who could return to the starting group. It is another occasion for Juventus to turn the promise Spalletti saw in Cagliari into a result that gives the season firmer direction.
