07 June 2015
Speaking to the cameras after the Champions League final in Berlin, Claudio Marchisio cast his mind back to that period in the second half when it seemed Juve had usurped control of proceedings and could go on to win it.
Il Principino explained: "We did find it a bit hard in the first half, but then it's not easy to press high up the pitch for the whole 90 minutes. All the teams who play against Barcelona have to sit back and wait for them at times.
"We got the measure of them after that and once we scored the equaliser we were in control of the game. If we'd just managed to take the lead, the match could have taken a very different direction."
Nonetheless it has been a marvellous campaign for the Bianconeri. Marchisio went on: "It's been a dream journey just being involved. Of course if we'd had the trophy to take home it would have been another matter entirely, but on a night like this we must remember what an amazing season we've had.
"The new gaffer came in and the first thing he said was that we could be among the best in Europe. We have no regrets; we can be proud of what we've achieved. We leave the pitch with our heads held high tonight as well."
After an extraordinary season, many pundits place our No.8 up there alongside the best midfielders in the world: "That's nice to hear and it was an honour to be playing on the same pitch as legendary players such as Pirlo, Xavi and Iniesta tonight. But I'd rather have won."
