De Rossi explains Genoa lineup choices before Juventus and praises Spalletti
Quick summary
Daniele De Rossi outlined Genoa's selection decisions ahead of the Serie A match at Juventus, confirming Aaron Martin on the left and noting Brooke Norton-Cuffy is unavailable through injury. He also praised Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti as a modern coach who keeps evolving.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceDaniele De Rossi explains his Genoa choices against Juventus and why he admires Luciano Spalletti. ‘He keeps up to date with changes in football and remains a modern coach.’
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De Rossi outlines Genoa decisions MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Genoa CFC coach Daniele De Rossi looks on during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Genoa CFC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Genoa went into the break for international duty off a home defeat to Udinese, but are missing Brooke Norton-Cuffy after he suffered an injury with the England Under-21 side.
There were different options on the left flank, but Aaron Martin got the nod ahead of Stefano Sabelli.
“I can’t be using left-footed players on the opposite flank, Martin is suited to the left, so I’ll keep him there. We can solve games like this with set plays and Martin is a maestro, and his fitness levels really improved recently,” De Rossi told Sky Sport Italia.
“With five substitutions, it helps to have a deep squad, but I think Juventus have a great starting XI and play some of the best football currently in Italy along with Como.”
TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Juventus FC head coach Luciano Spalletti looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Como 1907 at on February 21, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) It is a touchline reunion with De Rossi’s former Roma coach Spalletti, and the veteran said that he considered DDR one of his ‘football sons’ who went on to become tacticians.
“He taught me so much, I worked with him when I was very young, he left and came back an even better coach than I remembered,” explained De Rossi.
“That means he is always eager to keep up to date with changes in football, continue to develop, and remain a modern coach, even when the years tick by.”
It was a long rapport, because De Rossi played 251 competitive games under Spalletti, more than with any other coach.
The midfielder scored 30 goals and provided 27 assists in that time.
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What happened
Ahead of Juventus vs Genoa, Daniele De Rossi explained that Aaron Martin was chosen on the left because he is naturally suited to the flank and offers strong set-piece quality. Genoa are without Brooke Norton-Cuffy after an injury suffered with the England Under-21 side. De Rossi also said Juventus currently play some of the best football in Italy and highlighted the value of their strong starting XI. In the same interview, he praised Luciano Spalletti for continually adapting with the game and remaining a modern coach.
Chance analysis
In football terms, the most relevant signal is Genoa's enforced adjustment on the flank after Norton-Cuffy's injury and the tactical preference for Aaron Martin's natural left-sided balance. Martin's set-piece quality may slightly improve Genoa's dead-ball threat, but the broader tone of the article suggests respect for Juventus' level rather than a major competitive shift.
The likely effect is a small negative on Genoa's squad depth offset by a modest tactical positive from Aaron Martin starting in his natural role.
Treat this mainly as a minor pre-match lineup and injury signal: Genoa lose some wide depth but gain clarity on left-sided structure and set-piece delivery.