Juventus will host Sporting CP in the fourth round of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League. New manager Spalletti stated in his press conference that he saw the fighting spirit and desire in the players' eyes, and also predicted a tough match against Sporting CP.

The 66-year-old Spalletti took over as Juventus manager last month, and the "Old Lady" defeated Cremona 2-1 in an earlier Serie A match thanks to goals from Kostic and Cambiasso, successfully building momentum for their Champions League challenge with two consecutive wins.

In the Champions League, Juventus have only managed 2 draws and 1 loss in 3 rounds, so they need to accumulate more points to have a chance to participate in the next stage of the competition.

Spalletti stated, "I'm satisfied with some of the decisions I made against Cremona because those choices gave me information to continue my work. That victory was entirely due to the players; their reactions on the pitch were exactly what I expected. With very few exceptions, I rarely felt they were slow. What impressed me most over these past few days was the way these players looked at me; their eyes conveyed their fighting spirit and desire for the team."

"Tomorrow will be a tough match as we face Sporting CP, a team that plays brilliant football. Since Borges came to the club, they have a very clear philosophy on the game. This team is difficult to predict, very good at positional interchanges, and has extremely high quality in the midfield and attack. The Champions League is a fascinating competition; if football is a hotel, then the Champions League is the luxury suite."

Regarding the performance of other players, Spalletti said, "A good starting point is to ask the players what conditions they perform best. Take Yildiz for example. When asked about his preferred position, he answered that he likes playing on the wing and also likes playing as a second striker. Yildiz can play. As for who he reminds me of? Among the players I've coached, I would definitely say Kvalatschlia. Going back further, there was someone who didn't receive the attention he deserved: Di Natale."

“Cambiado is very crucial for us; he is an extremely modern player. In modern football, there are no longer fixed roles; players must be able to move freely in multiple areas on the field. Cambiado is a very strong player who can give the team a lot of options on the field.”

Spalletti continued, "Vlahovic has a slight advantage over other players because he understands exactly what it means to wear this jersey. I spoke with him recently, and he's very happy here and doesn't mind that his contract is about to expire. In the game the night before, just like against Udinese, he gave an excellent response in every aspect."