16 May 2017
FOCUS ON THE FINAL
“No one is thinking about the treble. Our focus is entirely on winning this final and lifting our first piece of silverware this season. We’re fortunate to be here for the third year in a row and we want to return to Turin tomorrow on the back of the same result.”
FATE IN OUR OWN HANDS
“We were disappointed by the result and the performance against Roma at the weekend not least because it would have been special to seal the Scudetto here in the capital.
“Our fate is still in our own hands and from tomorrow evening onwards, it will be our duty to see out what we have started this season.”
CONFIDENT IN BOUNCING BACK
“It is clear that we need to do something different tomorrow night. To our credit, we have always bounced back from defeat in style so far this term, using every bad result as inspiration for a positive run afterwards. Doing so is much easier said than done and we will need to be at our very best to overturn this little slump.”
READY FOR THE FINAL PUSH
“We arrived here on Saturday evening after a fairly intense period in all competitions in which we scored seven times and conceded just once. Perhaps the concentration we showed in those games took more out of us mentally and emotionally than was at first apparent.
“Regardless of Sunday’s result we have managed to maintain a comfortable advantage over our rivals in the title race, always making sure to pick up the pace when they began to loom large in the rearview mirror.
“Of course, you want to keep the same level of intensity for every single match and maybe if we did that we would have a few extra points in Serie A but it needs to be this way if you want to win every trophy possible.
“Luckily we have come through a very difficult April and put ourselves in a strong enough position to be able to clear our minds and approach this final push with the best mentality possible.”
DANGEROUS LAZIO
“Lazio bear a few similarities to Monaco in that they have players with pace who enjoy getting in behind. The likes of Keita and Felipe Anderson, although very different attackers, try to get at you and take you places you don’t want to go just like Mbappé for example.
“We’re talking about a side that play quickly and precisely through the lines while remaining solid in defence and credit for that must go to Simone Inzaghi and his players to following his plans through to the letter.
“Finals are won or lost in the big moments and we need to make sure that we are the ones who make the most of them tomorrow night.”
“INSPIRING” MEETING WITH POPE FRANCIS
“It was the third time that I have had the honour of meeting the Pope: it is a unique feeling when you are face to face with someone who will go down in the history of mankind.”
