"I didn’t understand it, and I’m going to look into it." That was Luciano Spalletti’s immediate line after Juventus drew 2-2 with Rennes in the Europa League. The result in Juventus vs Rennes was frustrating enough on its own, but the bigger talking point was VAR ruling out Jhon Lucumí’s 88th-minute goal for offside after Teun Koopmeiners flicked on a free kick.

Spalletti did not spend the night attacking the officials across the board. His point was narrower than that, and more credible for it. He praised the referee overall, then made clear that the Lucumí call was the one decision he could not square with what he thought he knew of the law.

The Lucumí decision dominated the reaction

Speaking to football-italia.net, Spalletti said: "The Rennes player could have cleared that ball and Lucumí didn’t impede him. I thought I knew this rule, but after tonight I have a lot of doubts. The referee was very good, but a little less good on this incident."

That sums up the mood around Juventus pretty well. This was not a manager trying to turn a poor performance into a refereeing rant. It was a coach accepting the 2-2 result, while still arguing that the decisive late moment deserved a different reading.

The official call, of course, remains the official call. VAR cancelled Lucumí’s 88th-minute finish for offside, so the match closed at 2-2. But Spalletti’s complaint is fair game because he was not claiming conspiracy or incompetence. He was saying he did not understand how interference had been judged on that specific phase.

He made the same point again, quoted in Italian by Sky Sport Italia, in comments translated from Italian: "Referee good, a little less so on the disallowed goal for Lucumí."

From a Juventus perspective, that is the part that stings. A draw at home in Europe already feels light when the game is there to be won. A disallowed goal in the 88th minute leaves even less room for calm analysis straight after the whistle.

Juventus' forwards still have more to give

Spalletti was not interested in using the Lucumí incident as cover for everything else. He also turned the spotlight onto his attack, particularly the pairing of Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani.

Speaking to football-italia.net, he said: "Today they did well, but I think I can expect more from both of them, because their qualities are greater than the performance they gave tonight."

That sounds demanding, but it is hard to argue with. Woltemade was heavily involved, setting up Zeki Çelik’s opener and then scoring the equalising penalty. He also finished with a 7.7 rating and now has 3 goals in 3 Europa League appearances this season. For Spalletti, that seems to be exactly the point: the output is real, and so is the feeling that there is still another level there.

This was also the first time Woltemade and Kolo Muani had started together in a competitive match. Spalletti clearly sees potential in the partnership rather than a finished product. As he put it: "What the two of them produce isn’t just the sum of their individual qualities. They can coexist, and when they work together, they can become three, not two."

That is an ambitious way of describing a strike pairing, but it fits the wider message from the night. Juventus created enough moments to feel they had missed something here, and Spalletti's reaction was built around standards more than excuses.

Rennes leave with a point they can take

Rennes had their own reasons to be satisfied. They led for more than 20 minutes, stayed unbeaten in Europe and left Turin with a point that keeps them 13th in the Europa League table.

Mahdi Camara, quoted by Foot Mercato in comments translated from French, said: "It is still a good point to take here, the midfielder reacts into the microphone of Canal+. In the first half, we showed a good face. They were better in the second half. We are a little frustrated, but it remains a good point. We can be proud of our performances."

That feels like the honest reading from the away side. Rennes were squeezed more after the break, but they were still close to leaving with more than a draw before Lucumí’s goal was scrubbed out.

Juventus will remember the VAR check and the missed chance to take all three points. Rennes will remember an away performance with enough resilience to stay unbeaten in Europe, and a 2-2 result that Spalletti still clearly has not accepted on that final incident.

FAQ

Why was Jhon Lucumí's late goal ruled out against Juventus?

VAR ruled out Jhon Lucumí's 88th-minute goal for offside after Teun Koopmeiners flicked on a free kick in Juventus' 2-2 draw with Rennes. Luciano Spalletti said he did not understand the decision and wanted to look into it, but the official match outcome stands with the goal cancelled.

What did Luciano Spalletti say after Juventus drew with Rennes?

Spalletti's main frustration was the disallowed Lucumí goal. He said he did not understand the call and added that the referee was very good overall, but less convincing on that incident. He also said he expected more from Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani, despite moments of quality from both.

Did Nick Woltemade play well in Juventus vs Rennes?

Yes, Woltemade had a strong individual game even in a frustrating result for Juventus. He set up Zeki Çelik's opener, scored the equalising penalty and posted a 7.7 match rating. He also has 3 goals in 3 Europa League appearances this season, which helps explain why Spalletti sees more still to come.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →