Power Struggle at the Calcio Summit: Spalletti and Conte Skip the Pre-Match Press Conference
23 January 2026
Calcio Showdown: Spalletti and Conte Skip the Pre-Match Press Conference
Not the first time, but this one stands out.
Spalletti, Juventus coach, and Conte, Napoli coach, canceled the press conference ahead of the Sunday derby at Allianz Stadium, in Serie A round 22.
Despite the match's significance, Conte chose to focus entirely on training after the 1-1 draw with Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday, and did not speak to the media on this occasion.
Earlier, Spalletti was set to address reporters around 4 p.m. local time (5 p.m. GMT) on Friday, but the press conference was canceled about two hours before it was due.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, this year Conte or Spalletti have occasionally skipped media briefings, but this time appears exceptional.
Napoli sit third in Serie A with 43 points, six behind leaders Inter, while Juventus are fifth with 39.
The Serie A broadcast is free on STC TV for Beity Fiber and postpaid 4, 5 packages—watch now!
Punchline 1: If press conferences were a match, this would be a walkover for silence.
Punchline 2: In Serie A, even the pre-game chat needs training—apparently the players did the talking on the pitch.
