Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has insisted he has never considered stepping down from his position despite the Bianconeri failing to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Spalletti made the statement ahead of the decisive match against Torino in the Derby della Mole at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Monday (25/5) IST.
"It (resigning) never crossed my mind," said Spalletti, as reported by Football Italia, Saturday (23/5).
Juventus are now in a difficult position because a win over Torino may not be enough to secure a Champions League ticket.
Juventus currently trails in the top-four race after a shock 0-2 defeat to Fiorentina the previous week. AC Milan and AS Roma capitalized on the result to overtake the Old Lady.
This situation has given rise to speculation that Spalletti is ready to resign if he fails to lead Juventus to qualify for Europe's elite competition.
Spalletti admitted he was surprised by the torrent of rumors linking him to resignation. He said the discussion about his future changed too quickly just because of poor results on the pitch.
"At first, everyone was talking about a new contract, then suddenly it turned to resignation. It was as if all the possibilities were being thrown at me," he said.
Despite this, Spalletti emphasized that he is always ready to follow the club's decision if management desires change. However, he emphasized that he never requested a special meeting to discuss his resignation.
"If anything comes to mind after a result like that, I only put myself in the club's best interest if they want to make changes. But I never asked to speak to anyone," he said.
Spalletti also denied reports that he had clashed with Juventus CEO Damien Comolli or had made any demands to retain his position.
According to the former Italy national team coach, his future does not depend on a single match result or Champions League qualification.
"My future doesn't depend on anything. Planning means having the courage to look beyond the result," Spalletti said.
He emphasized that Juventus remains committed to a long-term project that won't change just because of a point or two in the standings.
"We want to build a chance to compete for something important, whether we're in the Champions League or not after this match," he said.
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