Spalletti on Kolo Muani-Woltemade Partnership and Juventus Dressing Room Talks

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti confirmed that Randal Kolo Muani and Nick Woltemade will both start in attack against Rennes. He also spoke about a team meeting held after the 3-0 loss to Lazio, where players discussed matters at length.

The Bianconeri face French side Rennes on Thursday in the Europa League. While Juventus secured wins in their first two European matches, the recent Serie A defeat to Lazio has put the team under scrutiny. Captain Gleison Bremer had voiced strong criticism of his teammates after that game, leading to the subsequent meeting.

Speaking at a press conference, Spalletti stated, "The players are fully engaged with what we are discussing. In our latest meeting, I encouraged them to speak at length so I could gather as much information as possible and help them avoid dropping their level during matches." He added that their comments revealed honesty and professionalism, with a clear desire to improve and add more variety to their play.

Spalletti, who remained silent during the players' discussion, found their input valuable for his coaching. He confirmed that Bremer had explained his remarks, and the team accepted them, highlighting the strong rapport within the dressing room.

Tomorrow's match will mark the first time Kolo Muani and Woltemade start a game together this season. "Both will start tomorrow," Spalletti confirmed.

When questioned about the discrepancy between Juventus's strong Europa League performance (six points from two games) and their struggles in Serie A (two losses in seven matches), Spalletti attributed it to the unique dynamics of each game. "Every match has its own history, and you have to react to what the opposition brings each time," he explained. "You need to understand the consequences of their approach and know when to press and when to stick back. We have to be more decisive when we make a choice."

He described Rennes as a physically strong team with fast attackers, including their top scorer Lepaul. "They are having a good season; they are sixth, but one point below the top spot, so they have enthusiasm, and for us it is a maturity test. We must be good at determining things with our attitude," Spalletti concluded.