Luciano Spalletti has cast Monday’s Serie A meeting with Genoa at the Allianz Stadium as more than a tactical duel — it will be a personal reunion. The Juventus head coach revealed a close, long-standing bond with Genoa manager Daniele De Rossi, calling the former Roma captain “one of my football sons” ahead of what will be the first time the two men face each other as opposing head coaches.
Spalletti and De Rossi’s relationship stretches back more than two decades to their time together at Roma, where De Rossi became a club stalwart during two separate spells when Spalletti was in charge. The pair have weathered “highs and lows,” Spalletti said at his pre-match press conference, and he joked that he has likely “got on his nerves at times, as it happens between a father and a son.” The warm words come as both coaches have steadied teams that began the season poorly; Spalletti replaced Igor Tudor at Juventus and De Rossi took over from Patrick Vieira at Genoa earlier in the campaign.
Tactically, the match arrives with one eye on Juventus’s fragile situation in the Champions League race. Spalletti acknowledged that the closing eight fixtures of the season are effectively finals for his side, who sit three points adrift of Como in the race for European qualification. “We have little margin given the current table to make calculations. We have to win almost all of them to stay in it,” he said, describing the run-in as a “rush finale” that the team must treat with maximum intensity.
In team news, Spalletti provided cautious optimism over the fitness of his two forwards recovering from injury. Dusan Vlahovic has returned to training and “is doing well,” the coach said, benefiting from a fortnight that allowed him to alternate intense work with recovery. Although Vlahovic is available, Spalletti called it “unlikely” he will start against Genoa, suggesting the striker is more likely to be considered as an impact substitute. Arkadiusz Milik, who has also been sidelined, is further along in his recovery alongside Vlahovic and the coach stressed the pair “can play together,” but both still need time to complete their rehabilitation after lengthy spells out.
Spalletti was equally dismissive of speculation over his own future at the club. Reports have suggested a contract renewal could be imminent, but the 67-year-old said the timing of any agreement is unimportant at such a critical stage of the season. “The priority has to be the match against Genoa. There will be time in the coming days,” he said, adding that contract discussions “have to come naturally” and should not distract from match preparation.
Monday’s fixture in Round 31 will offer a fresh chapter in a relationship that has followed both men from Roma dressing rooms to the top tier of Italian management. Beyond personal history, the game carries clear competitive stakes: Juventus need points to close the gap in the table, while De Rossi’s Genoa will be keen to maintain the progress that earned their young coach the job earlier in the season.