Spalletti Content with Juventus Victory, Praises Debutant Grabara

Luciano Spalletti felt pleased after the Allianz Stadium victory, specifically mentioning Kamil Grabara's debut in the 5-0 Europa League win against NEC Nijmegen.

Spalletti told Sky Sport Italia, "I am extremely satisfied. They approached the pitch with clear minds, turned doubts into decisions, and executed them well. They maximized their desire to achieve something. Nico's play on the first goal, latching onto that ball, was good."

Grabara maintained a clean sheet in his first match for the club, a fact Spalletti was eager to acknowledge.

“Let me congratulate Grabara, who showed composure and the ability to play with his feet,” he stated. “In these games, goalkeepers become an extra player, and finding an open man on the pitch like that creates space for you.”

He also pointed out areas for improvement, noting the space left behind the defensive line, while defending the tactical shift. “Considering our performance, we could have been more compact and naturally left less space behind the back line. Given the outcome, the decision to change something was correct. This is a way we can interpret games, and it's how we won some matches last season. Now, with so few players, we must adapt.”

Spalletti was careful not to underestimate the opponent, referencing NEC's third-place finish in the Eredivisie last season and their performance against Bodo/Glimt.

“Tonight, the players remained focused. They were doubling up on every player and could have become dangerous if they had gained control,” he commented. “They don't seem to fear anything. They've suffered heavy defeats, but they push even harder in the next game.”

When asked about Zeki Celik's position in the middle of the box for the fourth goal, Spalletti smiled: “When you explore different options, surprises often happen.”

He concluded by discussing Randal Kolo Muani, revealing the striker's deep frustration over his goalless start. “His runs have depth that's easily highlighted in these spaces. He also took a couple of knocks and needs to learn to withstand physical contact. He needs to add more strength because he is strong and healthy. Last night, with the training camp being optional, he was the only one at dinner and slept alone. He suffers enormously from not being able to contribute.”