02 December 2015
From Juve’s rise up the table and preparations for Lazio to upcoming encounters against Sevilla and Torino and realising his boyhood dreams, Claudio Marchisio’s 20-minute interview with JTV was not short on talking points.
The midfielder’s return from a month-long layoff in October triggered the Bianconeri’s recent resurgence, which now sees them sit in fifth place, but Marchisio was quick to stress that there remains plenty to be done in order to reach the Serie A summit.
He began: “We’ve by no means completed a comeback yet. It’s a long season and there are teams ahead of us who are on top of their game and are going well in the league.
“We’re now playing well again after the wins. This is important because for the first time, after three years of starting strongly and looking down on the others, we’re now part of the chasing pack and we need to keep digging deep in order to catch up with the sides at the top.”
Turning his attentions to Friday’s match away to Lazio, Marchisio said he and his team-mates were happy to have more time than usual to prepare for it.
“We need to be careful against the Biancocelesti, even more so because they’ll be determined to get back to winning ways after a tricky period. We’ve two days more to get ready for this match than in previous weeks and we’re preparing as best as possible.”
As a Turin boy, born and bred, the 29-year-old was left licking his lips at the prospect of taking on cross-city rivals Torino in the Coppa Italia round of 16, while underlining their determination to take maximum points from their final Group D match in Andalusia next Tuesday.
“We’ll go to Sevilla playing to win as always. We’re eager to finish first in our group.
“Meanwhile, it will be fascinating going toe to toe with Torino in the cup. It’s been a long time since we did so. Matches against them have been more spectacular and competitive recently. Eliminating them from the competition would not be bad either.”
Wrapping up the interview, Marchisio could not but finish with a stirring line on his pride of pulling on the black and white week in week out.
He concluded: “I’ve been a juventino since I was little and I’m realising my boyhood dream every day by playing for these colours. I’m relishing the responsibility of having a family and representing this great club.”
