Angel Di Maria has revealed that he has no intention of leaving Juventus at the end of the season, regardless of whether the Bianconeri qualify for the Champions League or not and remains devoted to finishing the domestic season in the best possible fashion.
Speaking alongside Massimiliano Allegri at the pre-match press conference ahead of the Europa League semi-final first leg against Sevilla, the Argentine admitted that life in Turin wasn’t as straightforward as he had hoped, but said he has gained more and more confidence as the season has progressed.
Di Maria credited Allegri for having helped him settle into the squad and help him adapt to the challenges of Serie A.
“I’ve had plenty of great coaches, I’m happy with Allegri too,” he said. “He is an exceptional coach, he makes us work a lot but it’s different to what I was used to before. Now I’ve built up a rhythm and I think I’ve reached a good level.”
“In reality it was tough at the beginning, I had injuries, I couldn’t give 100% and it was difficult to prove my worth. I gained more confidence, I started working better with the coach. Now we have to win and we want a strong end to the season for the supporters and finish in the top four.
When asked whether he would still be playing at the Allianz Stadium next season, Di Maria replied: “Nothing changes in my mind, whether we go to the Champions League or not, it doesn’t matter.
“With everything that’s happened this season, we try to maintain concentration in the league and have the mindset that we’re second and playing well despite the news that arrived. We have to devote ourselves to gaining points on the pitch.”
The 35-year-old was also asked about the prospect of winning the Europa League before the end of this season, one of the few trophies in world football still missing from his collection.
Di Maria responded: “True, It’s a trophy that I only played once with Benfica. It’s a trophy I’m missing and I’m focused on it. For me all trophies are important.
“The future? We’ve been talking about it with the management for a while now, but now I’m focused on Sevilla.”
The World Cup winner was then asked about the upcoming derby between Milan and Inter in the Champions League semi-final, however, the game is of no interest to him.
“Whatever happens with Inter and Milan is their business,” he said. “We have to think about everything we have to do.”