According to Tuttomercato, Locatelli has reconciled with Spalletti at Juventus, and he also spoke about Italy's disappointment at missing out on the World Cup for the second consecutive time.
The Juventus captain said that Spalletti spoke with him when he first joined the team, telling him that he trusted him and acknowledging that there may have been some wrong choices in the past, and that he had said this publicly before.
Locatelli said the relationship between the two has clearly changed, which is evident in their on-field personnel decisions. "Most importantly, I felt his trust from the very beginning. I was ready immediately because that's the right way to work with a coach. He's a very strong and persuasive coach with a winner's mentality, which is exactly what Juventus needs."
In the interview, the former AC Milan midfielder also spoke about the disappointment of Italy failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third time. "I know we've disappointed millions of Italians, millions of children. The only thing we can do is work hard, roll up our sleeves, and give it our all." Regarding his role in the national team, Locatelli said, "Every time I'm called up, I have to be ready. For me, it's a very precious jersey; wearing it is a dream, so I give my all every time I'm on the field. But I think the most important thing is for the Italians themselves to play football."
