Spalletti blames Juventus' desire to win for loss at Sassuolo
Juventus suffered a 3-2 defeat to US Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium on September 13, 2026, leaving Luciano Spalletti under pressure as the Bianconeri see their early‑season defensive record crumble.
Spalletti blames imbalance
Spalletti told Italia that eight players surged forward in attack, creating “huge gaps at the back” and a line that was “too high”. He said the collective desire to win stripped the side of balance, a fault he accepted fully.
He added that the team had created chances to turn the game around but lost composure, noting “we were at the end, though, too unbalanced, leaving those spaces is no doubt our fault”. The coach insisted the positive intent to win should not translate into defensive chaos.
Sassuolo's attacking display
US Sassuolo capitalised on Juventus’ disorganisation, scoring three times after the Bianconeri had conceded only one goal in the first three rounds of the league.
Edon Zhegrova, off the bench, made a massive impact, netting twice – his first goals for Juve since November 2024 and after being linked with a summer departure.
Sebastiano Esposito and Kieron Bowie added further strikes, while Vasilije Adzic, on loan from the Old Lady, sealed the win with the final kick.
The match was described as a “wild encounter” at the Mapei Stadium, with the Bianconeri conceding three goals in a single game after a solid defensive start to the season.
Spalletti also highlighted an injury crisis that saw Juventus missing Manuel Locatelli, Jeremie Boga, Weston McKennie, Andrea Cambiaso, Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Jeff Ekhator and Juan Cabal, limiting his options.
He confessed that the off‑side trap failed early on, the team appeared passive after a throw‑in, and Randal Kolo Muani was “again ineffective”, while substitute Nick Woltemade turned a free header wide in stoppage time.
Looking ahead, Spalletti vowed to restore balance, stressing the need to keep the desire to win but avoid leaving “huge gaps” that opponents can exploit.