Weston McKennie said Juventus’ 2-0 defeat by Genoa was not the result of tactical problems and called on his team-mates to show greater commitment on the pitch.
Juventus were beaten by Genoa on Wednesday in Serie A Round 9, suffering their second defeat in three matches. The result leaves Luciano Spalletti’s side eighth in the standings.
“We must do more. Run, fight, and make more sacrifices for the teammates,” McKennie told Sky Sport Italia after the final whistle.
“You can say all you want about tactics, but in the end there are 11 players on the field. The battle is on the field. Genoa did better than us today, and that’s how it ended.”
Juventus struggled to respond during the match, with McKennie admitting he could not explain why the team had been unable to raise its performance.
“I don’t know,” he said. “We try to talk in the dressing room to have more energy and do more. But on the pitch, there’s no talking; we must do. Each one of us.”
Spalletti has been managing an injury crisis, leaving him with limited choices, particularly in attack and central midfield. The Juventus manager has also had to adjust his system regularly in recent matches.
However, McKennie rejected the suggestion that those tactical changes were responsible for the defeat.
“For me, it has nothing to do with it [tactics],” said the American.
“As I said before, 11 players are on the field. Tactics help, but running five or 10 metres more makes the difference; it’s not the tactics.
“It’s about being determined to finish an attack, track back, and fight for your teammate. We must do more. Simply do more.
“We are Juventus, and at Juventus, we can’t have these ups and downs. Juventus are a club with great history and wins; we must return to winning more consistently.”
McKennie, 28, has scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 46 appearances for Juventus under Spalletti, who was appointed a year ago.
Juventus’ next fixture is against Napoli on Sunday. Napoli beat Monza 4-1 away on Wednesday evening.
Report by Lorenzo Bettoni, Editor of Football Italia.
