INSTANT REACTION: LUCIANO SPALLETTI SECURES CRITICAL VICTORY AS JUVENTUS TARGETS THE TOP FOUR RACE.
Juventus secures a 2-1 win over Roma. Luciano Spalletti hails a "double victory" but warns Zhegrova over defensive lapses in Turin.
Luciano Spalletti thinks Juventus not only beat Roma but also learned something from their aggressive style. Though he did mention Edon Zhegrova's, let's say, not-so-great defending.
Juventus knew this game was super important. Losing would've put them pretty far behind in the race to get in the top four.
Instead, Francisco Conceicao and Lois Openda scored, winning the game 2-1 and putting Juve just one point behind Roma.
But Spalletti was annoyed about that late goal by Tommaso Baldanzi, which he blamed on Zhegrova messing up.
Spalletti had both good and bad things to say about Juventus.
He said, A game is like a blank canvas. You can't just throw in what you're good at. You also have to do the stuff you don't like.
He gave Yildiz as an example. Yildiz went back to help defend. Other teams know how good he is, but I don’t think he knows it yet, or how others already see him.
He does what needs to be done. When you play a team like Roma, who are well-balanced and always attacking with their defenders and wing-backs, you need guys like Yildiz and Conceicao helping out; otherwise, they'll break through.
“Zhegrova can't really do that kind of defending right now. He's awesome when he's attacking. So, I need to make sure he's in a position where he can just do that. If not, we're in trouble.
Spalletti added, I don't think Zhegrova will ever be a great defender. It's just not him. When he has to defend, he kind of disappears.
He can run back, but sometimes you need to grab your opponent and get physical. That's not his thing.
Spalletti also shouted out for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma. Even though they didn't have many scoring chances, they controlled the ball a lot in the first half.
Roma will keep at it, but we're not like that. We have moments where we lose focus, give the ball away too easily, and lose track of our wing-backs. They switch sides a lot, so if we don't force them in one direction, we waste energy chasing them.
Even if they weren't too dangerous, their rhythm, consistency, and solid play caused us problems in the first half. We also didn't do a great job on counterattacks. Their constant pressure wears you down, and you don't have the energy to counter.
Gasperini’s teams trap you, and you feel like you have to break free. There’s always someone on your back.”
This is Juventus' second big win in a row. They also passed Bologna after winning 1-0 last week.
Francisco Conceicao and Gleison Bremer, who were starting for the first time since their injuries, both left the game with minor muscle issues.
Juventus seem to be finding their groove under Spalletti, winning six of their last seven games, only losing to Napoli.
With no more big games coming up, does this mean Juve can catch up to the top teams?
Spalletti laughed and said, I feel like biting you when you ask that.
What do you mean, no big games? They’re all tough now. If you win and pick up things from the teams you beat, that's a huge win because it gives you confidence and shows you can compete with anyone.
We kept pushing until the end, and even after conceding that late goal, the team wanted more. Now we'll keep grinding and try to make up some ground.”
RADJA NAINGGOLAN SLAMS NAPOLI’S SCOTT MCTOMINAY AS "JUST AVERAGE" IN TV RANT
Radja Nainggolan has sparked controversy by calling Napoli's Scudetto winner Scott McTominay "average" in a scathing TV interview.
Scott McTominay’s journey from Manchester United to Napoli has been wild. He’s helped the club win a Scudetto, snagged a Ballon d’Or nomination, and his goal tally is impressive. But not everyone’s sold on him. Even with all those honours, one Serie A legend isn’t convinced. Radja Nainggolan slammed him as just “an average player".
After McTominay’s £26 million jump from Old Trafford in 2024, he took off. He won the Serie A MVP, clinched Napoli’s fourth Scudetto with a spectacular overhead goal against Cagliari, and made a big mark in Italy. Still, Nainggolan, never shy with an opinion, tore into him during a TV interview. Despite McTominay racking up 26 goals in 76 games and getting a Ballon d’Or nod, Nainggolan didn’t hold back. “I don’t like him,” he said on Sky Calcio Unplugged. “He gets his goals, 12, 13, 14 a season, but his general play? He doesn’t have the technique to move between the lines. He’s just average.”
And he wasn’t content to leave it at that. Nainggolan compared himself to today’s names, arguing he was better than both McTominay and Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu at his best, though he admitted Nicolo Barella sits above him. “At my peak, I was better than McTominay and Calhanoglu, but Barella is on another level,” Nainggolan said. “He doesn’t always score a lot, but when he does, it matters, and you always feel his presence on the pitch. I like De Bruyne, too; he sees things nobody else does. He’s above me, and Modric...he’s always been world-class.”
Of course, Nainggolan’s take doesn’t really jibe with life in Naples. McTominay has become something of a hero there; his face is on murals around the city, the fans have dubbed him ‘McFratm’ (McBrother), and he helped Napoli win the Supercoppa Italiana in December 2025. Even if Inter seems ready to grab the Serie A crown back, McTominay’s reputation hasn’t dipped. His knack for scoring from midfield has been crucial for Conte’s side.
Nainggolan also touched on Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” and why they didn’t deliver a major trophy, despite stars like Lukaku, Hazard, and De Bruyne. He knows the team well, having made 30 appearances before retiring after he got left out of the 2018 World Cup squad. “We had Lukaku, Hazard, De Bruyne, and Courtois. Too many superstars, too many egos,” Nainggolan said. “Everyone wanted to be the star, to be the most important guy, and that just doesn’t work.” His take pretty much confirms what fans suspected: there was plenty of talent, but not enough unity.
MANCHESTER UNITED AND CHELSEA ENTER RACE FOR DISCOUNTED €50M-RATED RAFAEL LEãO
Discover why Rafael Leão’s value has plummeted at AC Milan and which Premier League clubs are leading the race to sign him.
Just a year ago, everyone was buzzing about Rafael Leao and his rumoured €120 million move to Chelsea. Fast forward to this summer’s transfer window, and it looks like AC Milan’s ready to let him go for nowhere near that amount. Manchester United, along with a few others, are circling, hoping to get him for much less.
Last week, Gazzetta dello Sport broke the news: Milan now values Leao at just €50 million. That’s a wild drop, especially since six months ago they slapped a €100 million price tag on him.
So what happened? Why did his value tank so quickly?
Perception plays a big part. Leao’s estimated transfer value hasn’t actually changed that much. FootballTransfers’ algorithm had him pegged at €72.5 million last July, and now he’s at €70.7 million. But Milan’s own estimate? That’s fallen off a cliff.
Last summer, Milan wanted €50 million above the algorithm’s number. Now, they’re ready to accept an offer that’s €20 million below it.
Leao once had everything going for him in Milan. In the 2021/22 season, he carried them to the Scudetto, racking up 11 goals and 10 assists. Clubs were fighting over him, and in 2023, Milan rewarded him with a hefty €7 million salary and a massive €175 million release clause. That’s when top European clubs started sniffing around for a record-breaking deal.
But the new contract didn’t spark another big season for Leao. In his next campaign, he scored 15 goals and managed 14 assists, but fans started to turn, especially after two weak outings against Roma in the Europa League.
Things haven’t improved since. Early in the 2024/25 season, Milan benched him for disciplinary reasons, and he seemed pretty unfazed, something that sparked more criticism. He’s had some public clashes with head coach Max Allegri, too. Despite still being Milan’s top scorer, he hasn’t scored in two months. And the fans? They’ve booed him at home games, most recently against Juventus and earlier against Udinese.
Now, Milan looks ready to move on. Leao’s raw talent is still obvious, but at San Siro, the excitement has faded. SciSports, the data analytics folks, show his performance is in “significant decline” based on their SciSkill rating. Still, they think he can bounce back.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan plans to hold off until the World Cup, hoping Leao puts on a big show for Portugal and builds hype again.
He’s still got admirers. Arsenal’s been keeping tabs on him, FootballTransfers said back in February. Chelsea, Liverpool, and United are all in the market for a left-sided attacker and would jump at the chance to grab a rejuvenated Leao.
Sure, the €120 million rumours are a thing of the past. But the old Leão, the top-class player, is still in there somewhere. He just needs the right club, coach, and a fresh start.
_1777371632.webp)
