Team Talk

«Juventus will reach the Champions League»

Looking at the latest results, this has to be Juventus' worst period of the season. But it's also the time to pick themselves up and get back into the rhythm they had before playing in Reggio Calabria, which had allowed them to get within one point of second place.

The match against Fiorentina opened up debates among fans and journalists, but Giovanni Cobolli Gigli and Alessio Secco reassured everyone in two separate interviews.

Speaking to RAI Sport, the Chairman immediately defended Ranieri's and the team's work: «In Italy you just have to lose one game and everyone forgets how well you've worked up until then. It's true, we only got one point in the last three games, but these matches were very different from each other. The one in Reggio doesn't count, because of what happened, while the derby is always a game in itself; the three points lost against Fiorentina are the only ones we really lost on the pitch. We've given a lot and we can give as much in the remaining twelve games. Ranieri? He was, is and always will be an excellent Manager».

Twelve games left to fight for the objective set at the start of the season. Cobolli Gigli concluded: «We've always aimed for one of the first four places. Second place will be a little more difficult to reach now, I think, but we'll surely qualify for the Champions League».

The Director of Sport reinforced the same concepts in an interview with the Tuttosport daily newspaper, in the issue published this morning: «One negative match isn't enough to change the judgement on a season that remains extremely positive. Certainly we're all angry after a week such as the last one, where episodes were so decisive and also some of our players seemed a bit tired. But we're convinced we have what it takes to pick ourselves up and start winning again very soon».

When there's a difficult period, everybody has to give their contribution, so Secco called upon everyone involved with the Club: «We have to remain close. We need everyone to help us now: the Club, the team, and also the fans».

*juventus.com