13 September 2014
Patrice Evra says he is awestruck at the atmosphere provided by Juventus Stadium after making his first Serie A start in tonight’s 2-0 success over Udinese.
The French international put in a solid and assured display on the left-hand side of midfield, combining defensive security with frequent forays into enemy territory, but his first thoughts were reserved for the noise generated by the fans inside the Bianconeri’s state-of-the-art home.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia after the game, he said: “Paul Pogba told me all about this stadium – it’s incredible! I would like to thank all the fans, staff and my team-mates. I looked to repay them with a good performance tonight.”
After eight years with Manchester United, tonight brought Evra’s first taste of life in Serie A and he sought to outline a couple of fundamental differences between Italy’s top flight and the England’s Premier League.
“I’ve never worked as hard in my life! Serie A’s less intense than the Premiership but there’s a greater focus on tactics. You always need to be focused and alert to everything.”
Having chalked up their second Serie A success in as many encounters, Juventus will now immediately fix their sights on Tuesday night’s visit of Malmo, the first of six Champions League Group A matches.
A seasoned competitor in Europe’s elite club tournament, Evra, who won the trophy in Moscow in 2008, says the Bianconeri must tackle each hurdle individually if they are to make good progress in this year’s edition.
“The aim is to go further than last year, but we need to take one game at a time. It’s a wonderful competition and I really enjoy playing in it.”
