Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta says the Bianconeri have “perhaps even more motivation than last year in Cardiff”.
The Old Lady lost 4-1 to Real Madrid in last year’s Champions League final, and they face the same opponents tonight, with the same starting XI.
“Let’s say we’re a little used to it,” Marotta smiled, speaking to Premium Sport.
Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta says the Bianconeri have “perhaps even more motivation than last year in Cardiff”.
The Old Lady lost 4-1 to Real Madrid in last year’s Champions League final, and they face the same opponents tonight, with the same starting XI.
“Let’s say we’re a little used to it,” Marotta smiled, speaking to Premium Sport.
“We lost the last meeting, but this is the strongest team in the world in recent years for consistency, results and quality expressed. So they’re a prohibitive opponent.
“But on our side there’s perhaps even more motivation than last year in Cardiff.
“It’s normal for us to have great respect for this team, which I have clearly stated is a good one, but there’s also the awareness that we can be protagonists.
“The 4-4-2? We’ve tried to reinforce the flanks while giving a guarantee in midfield with two players in [Rodrigo] Bentancur who is young but has shown great quality and [Sami] Khedira who has great experience.
“Then we know that during the game [Coach Max] Allegri can change formation, also depending on what the opponents do, so I think it’s a suitable line-up to face this kind of team.”
Claudio Marchisio has been left out in favour of Bentancur, how has he taken that?
“I don’t want to go into the merits because it’s only right that the Coach decides, he’s in charge of training every day, evaluating the performances, not just in terms of tactics and technique but also competitiveness.
“So he’s made this choice and it’s right that he did it with great serenity, aware of what he’s done.”
The director was then ask what he’d change about last year’s final.
“Nothing, it went the way it did and we also have to recognise that Madrid were stronger over the 90 minutes,” Marotta replied.
“Objectively – as I said before – they’ve been the best team in the world in recent years. You can complain that maybe we should have taken a different approach, but it was a difficult undertaking for us.
“We tried, but we couldn’t do it.”