Juventus were four minutes into added time at the Mapei Stadium when the match slipped away. Edon Zhegrova had just levelled at 2-2 with his second goal of the night, and Spalletti’s side pushed for the winner. Instead, Vasilije Adzic collected a Darryl Bakola pass off the bench and curled home from inside the area to take all three points for Sassuolo.
The manager did not hide from the tactical reading afterwards. Speaking to DAZN Italia, Luciano Spalletti said the equaliser had come at a cost.
“It hurts because the team could’ve won it at the end, and deserved to turn it around, but clearly we lost balance and that shouldn’t happen.”
He was blunt about the shape at the death.
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“With eight players going forward to attack the ball, it left huge gaps at the back.”
Sebastiano Esposito had put Sassuolo in front in the 65th minute after a Nemanja Matic assist, before Zhegrova struck in the 82nd. Kieron Bowie restored the home lead in the 89th, only for Zhegrova to reply again a minute into stoppage time. Adzic’s finish in the 94th ended a chaotic finish that produced four goals inside the last half-hour.
Spalletti takes the blame
The Italian, who took charge at Juventus on 30 October 2025, framed the collapse as a consequence of intent rather than error.
“We lost a bloody match that cost us a lot in terms of enthusiasm and the league table and on every other level, but I asked them to try to win it, maybe they exaggerated but I liked this attitude.”
On the first goal conceded, he pointed at the line his defence held.
“We weren’t aggressive enough and then the line was too high, leaving those spaces, so we take the blame for that.”
There was one clear positive. Zhegrova, who had been expected to leave Juventus this summer and had not scored in a competitive match since November 2024, produced the most dangerous performance in a black-and-white shirt with two goals.
“This is the strength of Zhegrova, that he becomes unpredictable and unstoppable when he takes men on.”
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Aquilani celebrates a statement win
For Sassuolo head coach Alberto Aquilani, the result was validation of an approach he had preached all week. Aquilani told DAZN his players had been asked to trust their identity.
“I was already talking yesterday about courage, because we think these are our strengths, and we need the courage to use them even if we’re against Juventus or anyone else.”
He singled out Matic, whose pass released Esposito for the opener.
“Matic is a champion, not just on the field, but with his attitude, the way he trains, the curiosity he has in dealing with ideas he might not have been used to, so he’s a top player in every sense.”
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Serie A picture tightens
After four rounds, Juventus sit on seven points, level with Sassuolo, with Lazio leading the table on ten. Roma and Inter are on nine having played a match fewer.
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