Locatelli frustrated by diving yellow card as Juventus captain demands more ruthlessness
Quick summary
Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli said he was angry about the yellow card he received for simulation in the 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona. He also said Juventus must be more clinical and show more aggression if they are to secure Champions League qualification.
Full article
Attributed to Football ItaliaJuventus captain Manuel Locatelli says that he is ‘angry’ at the yellow card he received for simulation over the weekend, and says that Juventus need more ‘nastiness’ and to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to return to the Champions League next season.
Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News & Content – Free Trial – Click Here Locatelli on Juventus 1-1 Verona, call for ruthlessness and yellow card for diving
Juventus remain locked in a battle with Roma and Como for a spot in next season’s Champions League. The Bianconeri occupy fourth spot on 65 points, Roma trail by one point and Como trail by three heading into the final three matches of the 2025-26 season.
The gap between Juventus and Roma narrowed over the weekend, following a 1-1 draw between the Bianconeri and Hellas Verona and a 4-0 victory for the Giallorossi against Fiorentina on Monday night.
Whilst there is only one point separating Juventus and Roma, Locatelli says there is comfort to be taken from the fact that the race is still in Juve’s control. He urges his teammates to be more ruthless heading into the final stretch, though.
“I think we lack a bit of competitive nastiness in certain moments,” Locatelli told reporters at the launch event of Juve’s Strength of Stories podcast series.
TURIN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 16: Manuel Locatelli and Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus celebrates after Lloyd Kelly (not pictured) scores his team’s fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Juventus and Borussia Dortmund at Juventus Stadium on September 16, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) “We have to try to score when games are still open. Being clinical in front of goal helps us. The coach told us, we need a pinch of extra nastiness.
The Bianconeri skipper insists that he is not distracted by the ‘pressure’ that some suggest is burdening the players heading into the final few matches of the season.
“As I’ve always said, it’s a familiar concept in football, we’re used to this sort of pressure. The important thing is that it all still depends on us. We have to play these next few games with maturity. We’re trying, but we lack that wickedness.”
Locatelli does not deny the fact that Juve were not at their best during their 1-1 draw with Verona, though: “As I’ve said, it still depends on us. We can’t be happy with the game we played against Verona.”
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 19: Manuel Locatelli of Juventus applauds the fans following his side’s victory in the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Allianz Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) Locatelli also took a moment to criticise the decision to show him a yellow card for simulation during the Verona draw.
When asked how frustrated he was, he replied: “Very. I got angry. I don’t usually talk about referees, I don’t like that, but he can’t give me a yellow there. I was nervous, which is why I made a mistake, but I don’t dive. You can’t dive with VAR, there’s no point in giving me the yellow card.”
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What happened
Manuel Locatelli criticized the decision to book him for diving during Juventus' 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona, insisting he does not simulate and that VAR makes such incidents easy to assess. More importantly, he admitted Juventus were not good enough in the match and said the team lacks the extra edge needed in key moments. Juventus remain fourth in Serie A on 65 points, with Roma one point behind and Como three back with three matches left. His comments reflect both frustration with the officiating and concern over Juventus' inability to kill games off during a tight top-four race.
Chance analysis
This matters less as a refereeing story and more as a signal about Juventus' current mentality and attacking inefficiency. Locatelli's remarks point to a team aware that game management and chance conversion are becoming major risks in the closing weeks of the season. For football markets, that can reinforce caution around Juventus as a reliable front-runner despite their top-four position.
Likely slight negative for Juventus because it highlights finishing issues and pressure in the Champions League qualification race.
Treat this as a soft but credible indicator that Juventus' recent performances are under internal scrutiny, especially their attacking sharpness in high-pressure matches.