Luciano Spalletti acknowledged that Juventus’ loss to Sassuolo last week had raised uncertainties within the team, but he was pleased to see them overcome that setback by defeating Atalanta.
Juve faced their first defeat of the Serie A season during matchday four, falling to Sassuolo with a last-minute goal from Vasilije Adzic, resulting in a 3-2 scoreline.
However, they rebounded impressively on Sunday, achieving a 2-0 victory over Atalanta and their former coach, Maurizio Sarri, thanks to goals from Francisco Conceicao and Bremer.
This marks Juventus’ strong start, winning three out of their first five Serie A matches while managing to keep a clean sheet in every victory—something they hadn’t accomplished since the 2017-18 season when they clinched the Scudetto under Massimiliano Allegri.
With an international break approaching, Spalletti expressed relief that his players had dispelled the negativity stemming from their last league match.
He told Sky Sport Italia, “There was a moment where we had to focus on defending, but after making some adjustments, we regained our rhythm and played better in the second half. We can definitely improve our attacking play and could have caused Atalanta more trouble. Nonetheless, it’s understandable since the loss to Sassuolo had sown some doubts in our minds.”
FT | | Three big points to take into the international break! @EASPORTSFC #JuveAtalanta pic.twitter.com/FW24lYXJmd
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) September 20, 2026
Spalletti also commended Randal Kolo Muani, despite previously critiquing his performances, noting that he missed a significant one-on-one chance with an expected goals (xG) value of 0.35, the highest in the match.
“He had a fantastic game. I was frustrated when he found himself alone against the goalkeeper because he really deserved to score,” Spalletti commented on Kolo Muani.
“But he remained upbeat afterwards, and we shared a laugh about it. We’re all glad to see some key players coming back who could have been vital for us recently.”
As it stands, Juventus sits seventh in the table with 10 points, while Atalanta trails four points behind in 11th place. Sarri, who won the Scudetto during his single season with Juventus in 2019-20, has now lost nine Serie A matches to the Turin club, matching his highest total against any team (also against Roma).
Despite Atalanta’s three consecutive losses, Sarri believes there is no cause for alarm in Bergamo. “I wouldn’t say it’s a crisis; our first few games were below our potential, but we have been showing improvement,” he asserted. “This team needs to develop greater character and ignite the passion within. We have the potential; we just need to unleash it.”
Fan Take: This news is significant for soccer enthusiasts as it highlights Juventus’ resilience and ability to bounce back after a setback, a crucial trait for any championship contender. Additionally, Sarri’s struggles at Atalanta will keep fans intrigued, as they await the team’s next steps to restore their competitive edge in the league.
Source: www.soccernews.com
