Luciano Spalletti has stated that players lacking sufficient character 'cannot play for Juventus' and took aim at Torino for a message sent to their supporters on the eve of the Derby della Mole, saying, 'The real issue lies with those who claim certain colours should be banned.'

Juventus concluded the 2025-26 Serie A season with a 2-2 draw against city rivals Torino on Sunday, after the Granata overturned a two-goal deficit.

The Bianconeri finished sixth in the league table, earning only a Europa League spot for next season.

The match at the Stadio Grande Torino turned chaotic as kick-off was delayed by an hour following violent clashes between the ultras of Juventus and Torino.

One Juventus supporter was hospitalised in critical condition, and Bianconeri ultras threatened to storm the pitch if play commenced. When the match finally began an hour behind schedule, Juventus fans decided to leave the stands in protest.

Spalletti addressed these incidents during the final part of his post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia.

Before that, the Juventus manager analysed the game and reflected on a season that saw Juventus fall short of the top-four places.

“As the coach, it’s my responsibility to assess what happened. We had the match under control; these are the moments where you see a team’s true character and inner strength. These are the games where you must find something extra. Having two points more or less can make a big difference,” Spalletti commented.

Before the match, Damien Comolli had mentioned that Juventus intended to build a stronger team with Spalletti during the upcoming summer transfer window.

“That’s exactly what everyone expected, and it’s the right direction to take,” Spalletti responded.

“We’re obliged to play with pride against every opponent. The goal is to form a high-quality team to close the gaps we’ve seen over the last six or seven months.

“Character, in my view, is what makes the difference. Sometimes, personalities align. It’s as important as physical strength and technical ability. A player’s mindset shouldn’t change depending on the opponent. Win or lose, he must maintain the same attitude,” he explained.

“Every player has doubts when stepping onto the pitch. But if you stay attached to those doubts, you become hesitant. You must let go and make decisions—that’s the key. Everyone has doubts, but decisions must be made. If you have too many doubts, you lack character, and you simply can’t play for Juventus because that’s what sets players apart.

“Personality cannot be taught. You can teach tactics or technique, but character is much harder to instil. We’ve experienced highs and lows this season,” Spalletti admitted.

As a result, Juventus will look to recruit players with stronger personalities in the transfer market.

“That’s something I’ve discussed with Comolli and others. We need players who can elevate the team’s sense of personality. Sometimes, we’ve played brilliantly, and other times we’ve completely collapsed,” Spalletti said.

“We’ve also had some bad luck. We missed crucial penalties in key matches. Last season, they qualified for the Champions League because of a penalty scored against Venezia. This season, we made some mistakes but not many. Even when results didn’t go our way, the team trained well, including this week, despite all the talk about failure.

“It was right to give the players a day off because, amidst all this pressure, they also need to feel free. There are so many emotions, matches, and expectations. Allowing them to rest was the best decision to protect them emotionally,” he continued.

Finally, Spalletti expressed support for the injured Juventus fan while criticising Torino for an announcement that warned ticket holders wearing Juventus merchandise would be denied entry into the stadium.

Juventus had already released a strong statement condemning that message on Saturday.

“We’re all waiting for updates from the hospital and hoping the fan recovers quickly,” Spalletti concluded.

“However, when the day before a match, absurd statements are made banning black and white colours from the stands, the problem lies with those who promote such exclusions. Despite all our efforts to improve football, there were thousands of children here tonight. Telling a child he can’t wear a black-and-white scarf is ridiculous. We must oppose such attitudes because they are simply unacceptable.”