03 August 2014
Giorgio Chiellini believes this season’s Asia-Pacific tour will provide the ideal occasion for the Bianconeri to make significant progress both on and off the field of play.
The experienced defender, who crossed the 300 appearance landmark last season, is no stranger to the concept of pre-season tours and spoke of his excitement ahead of setting off for a brand new summer training base.
The 29-year-old began: “We’re off to a part of the world I’ve never been to before with Juventus. I remember a tour a couple of years ago, but the international players weren’t involved. We’re happy to fly the Bianconeri flag and eager to discover some new places.
“The trip will be important for fostering team spirit and continuing our preparations for the new campaign. These tours allow the club to promote its brand around the world, increase its income and enable the team to develop in every respect.”
After linking up with the Bianconeri at the start of the week following this summer’s World Cup, Chiellini claims the team have been working well over the past seven days and believes their desire for further improvement will push them to go the extra mile during a crucial part of the campaign.
“I think the manager can be happy with what we’ve done so far. We’re still a little rusty, but we’ve got time on our side to improve our fitness. This is the most important part of the season as far as getting into shape is concerned.
“There’s a collective spirit of intent: we want to keep winning and continue this successful period. We’re in the running on four fronts and need to make sure we go into each competition ready for the fight and with our heads held high.
“Winning is special and there’s plenty of hunger to keep showing we’re the best. Last year’s run was tarnished somewhat by our early exit from the Champions League but we want to improve and right the wrongs of last year, hoping for a little extra luck along the way.”
The Bianconeri depart for Indonesia with two fresh faces in tow – Romulo and Patrice Evra - and Chiellini took the time to acknowledge the strengths that each new arrival will bring to the team.
He concluded: “Apart from being a fantastic player, Romulo is a great guy. We got to know him during the World Cup preparations. He’s a special person with a burgeoning desire to succeed and give his all for the team.
“Patrice’s arrival gives us the opportunity to play with a back four, but above all he brings character and quality to the group that is immediately evident the second you see him on the pitch.”
