Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti expressed mixed feelings after his side fought back to secure a 2-2 draw against Stade Rennais. While praising the squad's mental resilience, the Italian manager insisted Juventus must match the speed of the ball to achieve consistent results.
Juventus maintained their unbeaten run in the UEFA Europa League league phase following a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Stade Rennais at the Allianz Stadium. Zeki Celik gave the hosts an early lead, but goals from Musa Al-Taamari and a Boulaye Dia penalty put the French side ahead at half-time.
German forward Nick Woltemade brought Juventus level midway through the second half from the penalty spot before a late Jhon Lucumi strike was ruled out for offside by VAR.
Despite missing out on three points, Luciano Spalletti's side showed strong character to recover from a goal down.
#### Spalletti demands faster tempo and higher standards
[Reflecting on the performance](https://www.juventus.com/en/news/articles/press-room-comments-after-juventus-stade-rennais-22-10-26), Spalletti praised the squad's reaction while noting tactical areas requiring immediate improvement. "We did well today, and our tempo was good too; unfortunately, we conceded two goals we shouldn’t have," Spalletti stated.
"The ball sets the pace... if it comes back slowly, we move up slowly, but if it comes back quickly, we have to move up quickly."
"They raised their game today, but we’re still missing something; if I don’t win matches, I’m not happy," the Juventus boss added.
#### Spalletti and Haise analyze intense tactical battle
Spalletti commended his players for refusing to give up after going behind. "I'm satisfied with the attitude tonight. Coming back into the game after going behind was difficult... the players accepted the challenges without giving up," he observed.
Opposing coach Franck Haise expressed pride in his side's historic result, which marked the first time Rennes avoided defeat away to Italian opposition in UEFA competitions.
"I’m very pleased with the point because the game could have gone either way," Haise noted. "We stayed calm after conceding early."
#### Juventus turn attention to AZ Alkmaar trip
Having picked up five points from their opening three league phase fixtures, Juventus will look to convert draws into victories when European action returns.
Spalletti's side prepare to travel to the Netherlands to face AZ Alkmaar on Matchday 4.
The Bianconeri aim to refine their pressing system before returning to domestic Serie A duties.
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A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
**Football Story**
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
**Areas of Expertise**
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
**Favourite Footballing Memory**
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
**My All-Time XI**
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.