Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli says the Bianconeri have the ‘ambition’ to return to the Champions League and admits he spoke to Miralem Pjanic, one of his role models in the Regista role.
Juventus will host Torino at the Allianz Stadium in the Turin derby on Saturday.
“They are a tough team, they have an excellent coach and they don’t make you play well,” Locatelli told La Stampa.
“It will be a physical game, you always need something more in the derby. I’d like to score because I’ve been missing this feeling.”
The ex-Sassuolo midfielder will make his 100th appearance with the Old Lady tomorrow: “It’s a great satisfaction. I dreamed of wearing this shirt as a child and it looked like something impossible.”
Out of his first 99 games for the club, which one was the best, and which was the worst?
“The best was the comeback win against Roma in 2022,” he said.
“It seemed we had lost it. I scored in that game too and it was important for self-confidence. The worst was the Coppa Italia Final loss against Inter. I didn’t give my best and I am still sorry about that.”
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has repeatedly said the main target for this season is to end in the top four as Inter, Milan and Napoli are ahead of the Bianconeri in the title race and Locatelli seems to agree.
“The ambition is to return to the Champions League, a competition that we deserve,” he said.
“We had reached the target last season, despite all the difficulties. If we can do something more in springtime, we’ll see. They took the Champions League away from us, but we have to find motivation inside ourselves.
“A few players have changed, we’ve lost experience and a new cycle has been opened with many young players. They need time, but there isn’t at Juventus.”
Locatelli joined Juventus in 2021, who did help him settle in?
“Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Paulo Dybala gave me so much, humanly and in terms of what it means to play for Juventus. Now things have changed and I have to teach it to young players, being an example every day.”
More ex-Juventus stars inspired Locatelli despite not playing with him.
“I am the No.5, and I am old school. Squad numbers are important. He belonged to Pajnic and I also spoke to him, he inspired me like Casemiro and Toni Kroos.”
When asked which former Juventus star he’d ask for an autograph as a kid, Loca replied: “Del Piero, but I’d do the same now. He was and still is my idol.”