Juventus lack 'courage' and have 'attitude issues' as coach Luciano Spalletti highlights problems despite Champions League win against Bodo/Glimt

Juventus managed their second victory in five games under Spalletti as Jonathan David's injury-time winner helped them return from Aspmyra Stadion with all three points, though it was by no means a stroll in the park for the Italian side. It was the Norwegian hosts who drew first blood in the 27th minute through Ole Didrik Blomberg. Three minutes into the second half, their lead was cancelled out by Belgian forward Lois Openda. While Weston McKennie gave the away side a lead in the 59th minute, an 87th-minute spot kick from Sondre Brunstad Fet helped Bodo/Glimt restore parity. Finally, it was David who bailed Juventus out in the 91st minute. 

Spalletti was vocal after the game, and furious too, as he claimed his team lacked the zeal and courage needed to win an encounter. He said: "It would have been a shame to let it go in the second half. We struggled in every sense of the word, because the team doesn't take responsibility, lacks courage, and takes a bit of heat from what's being said. It'll be hard on them; here too, there were attitude issues that hung in the balance. We need to grow and make a mental step. We need to find solutions, because the team has a bit of horsepower in its engine."

The 66-year-old was also annoyed by his team not taking their chances in the first half. "It was crucial to have the appearance of a team that plays openly, even if it struggles at times. They have great speed in tight spaces on this pitch, but in the first half we did our part, failing to capitalise on certain situations. It's an important victory, which the players deserved. We dedicate it to ourselves and to those who came all the way here to see us."

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Openda is one of the new joiners at Juventus this season. On the final day of the transfer window, he was sent out on loan to the Bianconeri by his parent club, RB Leipzig. He has featured 12 times for the Italian club and finally got his maiden Juventus goal despite the extreme Norwegian weather. He said after the game: "I’m happy to have scored my first goal, but the win was the most important thing. We were able to take the three points at home and we did it together. I’ve always had everybody’s support here, I know what I need to do and how I can help my team. Today I was able to score thanks to everybody’s help. I’ll always try to be ready whenever I’m called upon."

The win leaves Juventus 21st in the Champions League table with six points, putting them on track for a place in the knockout play-offs with three games left. The Bianconeri will not enjoy any cooling break after their first win at the continental showpiece, with three games coming up in eight days. On Saturday, they will host Cagliari in Serie A before facing Udinese in the Coppa Italia on December 2. However, the following game will be their toughest among the three as they will take on defending champions Napoli on the road on December 7. They are currently seated seventh on the Serie A table with 20 points from 12 games, and winning against Antonio Conte's side will enable them to escalate their status on the table, with mid-season complications looming overhead.