12 April 2023
Massimiliano Allegri and Danilo addressed the press at the Allianz Stadium ahead of Thursday's opening leg against Sporting CP in the Europa League quarter-finals. The coach and defender warned about the danger that tomorrow's opponents pose and both admitted that they are looking forward to the end of season run-in.
MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI
"Tomorrow is a difficult match, we know that. It is an important quarter-final against a team that has been on a positive run for 11 games now. Sporting's coach is young and very good. He brought the league title back to the club after 19 years. We have to do things the right way tomorrow to have an advantage for when we go to Lisbon.
"In Rome, Lazio played a good defensive game in the first half. In the second half the pace dropped, we found more space but we didn't manage to draw level. However, you must never lose the balance that leads to winning games. It's not that because we had 40 below-par minutes in Rome that tomorrow we have to play a game leaving wide open spaces. Matches must be won with skill and balance - and the team is doing it in the best way possible way. The best Juve is the one that wins.
"[Paul] Pogba is on his feet, which we are happy about. Now we are working on improving his condition. Tomorrow he will be available and will be on the bench. Alex Sandro and [Dušan] Vlahović are both available, but [Mattia] De Sciglio is not - we hope to have him back for the Sassuolo game. Leandro [Paredes] has played less in this period, and it's normal for players seeing little playing time to feel a bit frustrated. On Easter Monday the squad ate all togehter, it was a beautiful day. We had a chat with Leandro. When I make choices I make them based above all on what I think is best for the team, but all the players must feel part of the group because we have an important season finale ahead of us. His reaction is positive because it means he wants to be part of it.
"Winning one match is easier than winning a competition. The Europa League is an important and prestigious competition and the further you go the more complicated the opponents become. Clearly it would be fantastic to get to play the final, but before then there are still four games to face, starting with home and away against Sporting. So, it's too early to talk about playing in a final. We're only thinking about this next game and we'll continue step by step."
DANILO
"Sporting beat Arsenal, they are a strong team. We have to be at the top of our game tomorrow. [Rúben] Amorim didn't stop running, he always wanted to win. And this can be seen in what as a coach he has brought to Sporting, a team that presses a lot. They are a mirror image of him as a player.
"I always say that there is an opportunity during a negative moment. That's what has happened over this last period. Right now the difference is made by maintaining the same strong attitude over the entire season. We must not drop our level, neither psychologically or physically.
"Bremer always listens, he wants to learn and improve. On the field he dominates everyone. He can only get better and even stronger.[Federico] Gatti is an example for all of us. He arrived from Serie B to Juventus and went six or seven months without getting much of a look in. However, he never gave up and never stopped working and now he proved why he's at Juve.
"What I do now on the field is no different from what I did when I arrived at Juve. I have always tried to help the younger players. I want to be a point of reference. I feel good, I'm happy here."
