In Full: Luciano Spalletti press conference ahead of Udinese

“I’d like to give you an update from the treatment room. [Wojciech] Szczesny is OK. [Antonio] Rudiger and [Norbert] Gyomber won’t train because they’re injured and the former will be available from the middle of next week. I’ll assess how [Miralem] Pjanic is today because over the last two days he’s had to end training early after suffering a recurrence of his injury. [Radja] Nainggolan and [Daniele] De Rossi have completed their rehab programmes with the doctor and shouldn’t have any issues because they’ve responded well. [Kostas] Manolas felt a bit sore but trained well yesterday and we need to check on that today.”

How tough a proposition are Udinese?

“They’re tough in several ways, I know them well. It’s quite a unique atmosphere up there. The people in the city don’t get too involved. They’re quite relaxed and live in a happy oasis which definitely allows those with ability to thrive without added stress, whereas for others it can lower the tension you need during tough times. They’re all definitely good players and the club’s history tells you they’re very good at spotting and bringing through young players. We face a decent side tomorrow, full of running, and we’ll see if they’re able to come through their tough spell with all of the ability they possess. We have to perform well and reproduce our football, try to win the match and get back to where we should be, in light of what’s gone on recently.”

Could you once again opt for a trio of players behind Edin Dzeko?

“We could go with that or indeed other options. All of our options are feasible.”

How did Dzeko react after Madrid?

“It’s an easy conversation from my end. From they way he's been looking in the build-up to the game, I expect him to come and beg me to restore him to the side. He is obviously motivated – you’ve given him that. Nothing more needs to be said on top of what’s been written. I could really help him out by picking him. I really believe that the player – because of the man he is and the ability he possesses – will definitely respond to what’s gone on. I simply have to pick him again.”

How is Kevin Strootman’s recovery coming along?

“It’s an ongoing process. He’s getting better on a daily basis and from now on he will be considered. Now, I can’t say whether it’ll be tomorrow or the next match but he is ready to play. We’ll have to assess how much playing time to give him but he’s ready.”

Could you potentially leave the club before the start of next season?

“In the past I’ve said we’re all [Walter] Sabatini but this goes for whoever. That’s the way it has to be. We need results to look forward, be it the players, coach or the club itself. We all have to work hard and focus to achieve our goal. Our recent run can change a lot, we have to be aware of that and this change can also be used to gauge our performance. None of us here should relax. We’re undergoing a period of change and we’ve still shown that our form can be hit and miss. We have to hammer home the following idea: We really must reach our target.”

Over the last five matches you have committed twice as many fouls and won back twice as many balls. Is that down to greater steel?

“The statistics on balls won is significant because it means we’re taking greater risks and being more aggressive. We have to reduce the number of times we lose possession because that figure is not great. We have to improve on that score and make our opponents sweat more.”

[Zdenek] Zeman and Rosella Sensi have suggested you’re managing [Francesco] Totti in an odd way.

“I’ve already explained that and I can’t waste time talking about. You have to explain everything here. I gave my opinion when I responded to Zeman. There are lots of people looking at and interested in what we’re doing. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and can say what they like. I won’t be answering everyone. I’ll do my job and I believe in my position I’m better placed to make that call. My position must be consistent with my views on how to manage Francesco from a footballing perspective. I’m just talking about football, not other things where I don’t want to stick my oar in.”

How did your meetings with James Pallotta go this week?

“As I've said before, our future is now. We have ten games to play and we need to play them well. We need to have a clear idea of how we want to work over the next two months and channel all our efforts into it. What we do now could change a lot of things but that all comes later on and will be analysed in light of these results. Pallotta came here and showed once again just how enthusiastic he is and how ambitious he is. I don't think he could do anything else at the moment apart from convey that ambition to us. Personally I didn't want or expect anything else from him.”

How do you decide which formation to go with? Does it depend on the opposition you're facing?

“The first thing we look at is ourselves and the way we want to play. You try to put out a team that can deal with what the game has to offer and get a result. You do need to consider your opponents' qualities but you have to push ahead along your own path and if you have the quality you can reach your objective.”

Following on from what you said in Madrid, do you think it's more difficult to change the team's tactical approach or their mentality?

“The problem is more on a mental level. What I was saying was that we needed to be more disappointed about losing than letting ourselves be encouraged by any compliments people wanted to pay us. Now is the time to go over all the good things we did and my players did do some good things in that game. But that's something you have to come around to after the event. We can't come out and say. 'We did well, we were up against Real Madrid after all,' because it was a game we needed to win.

“Some people have said I risked splitting the dressing room with my comments. I'm not really into splitting dressing rooms. You are the ones who do the splitting when you say that a player shouldn't play anymore. Footballers try things and they make mistakes.

“The facts say we had all those chances and we weren't able to come away with a result and that we weren't clinical enough. My players were saying 'We had 10 chances' too but not the ones who had missed them. It's as if we're looking for a scapegoat for the fact we didn't come away with a result. But the goals we conceded could have been avoided too. The midfield needs to help out defensively and stop the opposition from breaking forward. We're all involved and talking about the chances we had is a way of blaming those who missed them.

“We need to be sorry about the missed opportunity. Now it's hard for us to be able to play in games like that again but if we were to replay it now I would have no doubts about my team. We have to get back there now. It was almost as if we weren't ready for those chances. That's what it comes down to.

“Now we must look at all the things we did well and we'll give Dzeko another starting shirt because you've set it all up for me with the things you've said about him. So Dzeko will play.”