Luciano Spalletti used his pre-match press conference to sketch out a Juventus selection call before the trip to Genoa. The Juventus head coach said the 3-5-2 should stay in place, but he still has a midfield decision to make and is weighing up whether Kolo Muani starts or sits.
Spalletti's shape and personnel call
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Spalletti said: "The 3-5-2 should be confirmed with Kerim Alajbegović supporting Woltemade up front and the possible bench for Kolo Muani." He also added: "In midfield one of Koopmeiners and Saar will play."
That leaves the basic structure intact, but not the same XI. The shape looks settled, while the personnel around it is still open. Spalletti has made that uncertainty public two days before Genoa vs Juventus, which will kick off on Wednesday 28 October at 8.45 p.m.
Juventus' position before Genoa
The league table gives the match some context without turning it into a grand statement. Juventus are seventh in Serie A with 14 points after 8 games, with 4 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats. After the eighth league matchday last season, they had 2 points and were one place lower.
That is a better starting point than last year, but it still leaves room for rotation. Juventus are not in a position to treat every game the same, and Spalletti also has Sunday's home match against Napoli coming next. A short turnaround makes the midfield choice more relevant, especially if he decides to keep Alajbegovic in the front line and rest Kolo Muani.
The one thing Spalletti did not do was confirm a full overhaul. He pointed instead to continuity in shape, one midfield call and one forward-line doubt, which is about as much clarity as managers usually offer before a midweek away trip.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
