Nicola Legrottaglie is enjoying a renaissance

Legro: We can conquer Europe
Friday 18 April, 2008

Juventus stopper Nicola Legrottaglie is enjoying a renaissance this term and believes the Old Lady can win next season's Champions League.

Legrottaglie has stepped up to the mark after Jorge Andrade sustained a serious knee injury early in the season and he has exceeded all expectations.

This weekend sees Legro take on former boss Gigi Del Neri, who coached him at Chievo during his five-year stay at the Stadio Bentegodi.

“I owe Del Neri so much,” he told the Juventus Channel.

“He launched my career at the top level and I am grateful, just as I am grateful to Claudio Ranieri who had faith in me during a dark period.”

Legrottaglie’s improvement this term, which he partly attributes to his newfound Christianity, has been such that there are tentative calls for the Bari native to go to Euro 2008.

“I know that I am a long way back in the queue, but it wouldn’t be a bad way to conclude this magnificent year,” he grinned.

“I am hoping it happens, even if it would be very difficult. Today’s Nicola is very different from the Nicola of four or five years ago.

“It’s a shame that I didn’t understand certain things before, as they have changed my life.”

The 31-year-old missed out on Juve’s midweek 3-0 win over Parma due to a virus.

“I watched the game from my sofa at home,” he revealed. “We did well to take advantage of their defensive attitude.

“We always suffer against the smaller sides because they give 120 per cent against Juventus, but we were determined from the start.

“We are having a marvellous season and we could mathematically secure Champions League qualification on Sunday. We deserve the position that we are in.

“Furthermore, I believe that we can immediately win the Champions League. If we reinforce and add players like Amauri then we are on the right track. It would be great to fight at the top level and we will try.”

Swedish international Olof Mellberg is due to arrive in the summer, but Legro doesn’t fear the competition for places.

“I don’t know him, but if we signed him then he must be good,” he stated.

“Am I worried about losing my starting spot? I am a fatalist, so if he is better than me then he will play.

“I started this year as a fifth-choice defender and now look at what has happened
I’m not scared of anything or anyone else.

“Transfer talk doesn’t bother me at all and I will just go about my business as usual.”

*channel4