Spalletti Says Tiredness Was Not A Factor In Juve's Second-Half Slump Against Genoa

Juventus tightened their grip on a Champions League push with a 2-0 win over Genoa, yet Luciano Spalletti rejected talk that tired legs explained a shaky second half. Early goals from Bremer and Weston McKennie settled the result at Allianz Stadium, but Juventus then survived a missed penalty and heavy pressure.

Spalletti’s side are now within one point of the Champions League positions and three clear of sixth-placed Roma, who lost to leaders Inter on Sunday. The victory also marked a personal landmark for the Juventus coach, who became only the fourth manager to reach 300 Serie A wins.

Juventus built their advantage inside the first 17 minutes. Bremer struck after four minutes with a powerful header from a set-piece, giving Juventus control. McKennie then finished a swift counter-attack on 17 minutes, guiding in a composed effort to make it 2-0 and leave Genoa chasing the game.

McKennie could have turned the result into a rout either side of half-time. The midfielder wasted two big opportunities from close range, both inside the six-yard box. Genoa almost punished those misses when Jonathan David unleashed a long-range effort that crashed against the left post, leaving Juventus exposed.

Juventus lost rhythm after the interval and Genoa grew into the match. The visitors gained a route back when Bremer brought down Aaron Martin in the area. The referee first awarded a free-kick, but VAR intervened and upgraded the decision to a penalty, raising the tension inside the stadium.

Half-time substitute Michele Di Gregorio then became decisive. Di Gregorio guessed correctly to push away Martin’s penalty from 12 yards and reacted quickly to stop the rebound volley from the same player. Those saves preserved Juventus’ clean sheet and stopped Genoa from turning a comfortable scoreline into a nervous finish.

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Juventus vs Genoa: Spalletti addresses fatigue, Serie A form and inconsistent displays

After the match, some observers suggested Juventus faded because of fatigue. Spalletti firmly rejected that view, pointing out the squad’s light schedule before facing Genoa. The coach explained that the players had been given extra rest days and therefore, in Spalletti’s opinion, physical tiredness could not explain the drop.

Spalletti said: "It wasn't tiredness, we didn't train yesterday or the day before,SpallettitoldSky after full-time, as quoted by Football Italia. I left them alone because they needed to recover. They had two days off, a training session and a half, and then they took a break, so that's not the case."

Despite three wins and one draw from their last four Serie A fixtures, equal to their previous eight matches combined, Spalletti admitted Juventus still show different faces within the same game. McKennie’s profligacy, the late penalty scare and the overall second-half drop reinforced that sense of uncertainty for the coach.

Spalletti reflected on Juventus’ fluctuating level across the 90 minutes. "Sometimes we have to accept that we aren't the best versions of ourselves. After six or seven months here, I'm still not sure what I'm dealing with, Spalletti added. It's not possible to have a first half like that and then a second half like that. And if they go ahead and score the penalty, it becomes a very difficult evening."

The schedule now stiffens for Juventus, who meet Atalanta in Serie A on Saturday before clashes with European-chasing Bologna and AC Milan. With Champions League qualification still finely balanced, the club’s recent improvement, Spalletti’s 300th league win and Di Gregorio’s display against Genoa give Juventus a platform to build on.