Locatelli Misses Penalty for Juventus Amid Luciano Spalletti's Criticism of Kick Takers' Order

Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli missed a penalty against Sassuolo, costing his team two crucial points in a match that ended in a draw. This marks the third consecutive penalty missed by Juventus players in Serie A, prompting coach Luciano Spalletti to express his frustration and reopen discussions about the team's penalty-taking hierarchy.

Luciano Spalletti, the Juventus coach, revealed that Locatelli is the designated penalty taker. He explained that Locatelli decided to take the shot himself after teammate Kenan Yildiz initially picked up the ball. Spalletti detailed the conversation that took place at that moment, stating, "If you want to take it, then do it because you are the one in charge of penalties." The player insisted on his decision, saying, "I will take it." Commenting on the repeated failures in penalty execution, Spalletti sharply remarked, "Tell us what to do, otherwise we will go crazy."

This incident highlights a clear crisis in penalty execution within the Italian club, as Jonathan David and Kenan Yildiz also missed previous penalties in Serie A matches. Despite the team utilizing four different penalty takers since the start of the season, statistics show they have only converted four out of seven awarded penalties. This situation pressures the coaching staff to definitively decide on a primary penalty taker to avoid losing further points.