10 January 2018
KEEPING COMPETITIVE
“I am 30 years old and I can tell you that age is only a number. You need to be careful about the way you eat and conduct yourself. Staying competitive for longer is a question of attitude.
“I still have plenty of desire and I want to win everything. I also want to keep playing for many years to come in Europe’s most important leagues. I’m now in Italy, which for me is one of the top four championships in the world, and I don’t understand why some people are suggesting that I would move to the MLS.
“Last year, I played more than 46 matches at the top level. Never before had I managed so many games so regularly. I’m arguably in the best shape of my career, so I don’t want to lose this opportunity of continuing to play in Europe.”
ENJOYING LIFE IN ITALY
“I can assure you that there’s no chance of me departing in January or even at the end of the season. I’m super happy here at Juventus. I’ve really got to grip with the game in Serie A. I love the city, the way of life and the fans for the affection they show me. If I was offered a contract renewal, I would accept without hesitation for all of the reasons I’ve just explained.”
ABOUT EMRE CAN
“I know Emre very well. He’s a really powerful and talented player. Given how young he is, he still has room for improvement. He needs to keep learning and growing. If there’s an opportunity for Juventus to buy him, I would seize it with both hands, especially as his contract at Liverpool runs out in the summer.”
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CHALLENGE
“Every year in the Champions League there are some teams that surprise during the group stage, and last year teams that played fantastically during the group stage, were knocked out at the round of 16.
“This is the most important part of the competition, during which you decide who is going to win. I do not think there is a favourite, because there are many teams capable of going all the way: there’s Bayern Munich, with their new coach, PSG, who have spent a lot to increase the technical ability of their team, Manchester City, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona... In the end, it’s the small details that will make the difference, so let's focus on our own challenges and on our strong points.
“We will have to play two great games against Tottenham, who may not be one of the most famous teams in the history of European football, but they’re one of the best English teams and can count on great players, who are young and physically strong. It will be a fantastic match-up.”
NECK AND NECK WITH NAPOLI
“This year we have almost the same points tally as last year and we can be satisfied with that, but in order to win titles again, we will have to keep up momentum in the second part of the season.
"We did not start the season particularly well, losing some points, but now we are in good shape and just one point below Napoli. That’s the only thing that we have to change quickly, but we are working on it."
