During the Europa League match between Juventus and Celta Vigo, which ended in a 1-1 draw, a highly tense episode occurred involving the Portuguese winger Francisco Conceição. At 64' of the second half the player was replaced by Luciano Spalletti, but his behavior on and off the pitch was the subject of great attention from the media and fans.
After leaving the pitch, Conceição punched the bench, had a brief verbal exchange with Giovanni Martusciello, Spalletti's collaborator, and immediately headed towards the changing rooms. Subsequently, the player returned to the pitch to watch the end of the match together with his teammates on the bench. Spalletti's speech, published on the team's profile, made it clear that the athlete was "angry with himself" for his performance and that the coach intended to discuss the reasons for the change with him. “It's better for him to be angry with himself, because otherwise we can talk together,” said Spalletti, underlining the importance of constructive dialogue.
Conceição, in turn, responded in a dedicated post, specifying that he had not argued with any of the staff. He explained that he had given a "hit to the bench" but that he had not had any verbal confrontation. The player also stated that he entered the locker room, changed his shirt and then returned to the sidelines, to demonstrate that his frustration was mainly aimed at his own performance and not at his teammates or the coach. "I say this because the truth must come out and we must talk about the second half we played. We won and we must continue like this," he declared.
Coach Spalletti reiterated that Conceição's behaviour, although motivated by nervousness, represents a lack of respect towards his teammates, in particular towards those who did not have the opportunity to play. He underlined that respect for colleagues, especially for those who have to take the place of a suspended or replaced player, must prevail over any other consideration. The episode has raised questions about the team's internal discipline and the management of emotions on the pitch, elements that Spalletti intends to address with the players before the next match.