Beppe Marotta discusses his tenure with Juventus, praises ex-team Sampdoria as the season’s ‘revelation’ and updates on Manolo Gabbiadini.
Marotta moved over to Juventus in 2010 after eight years spent as director general at Sampdoria, with the two clubs set to clash this Sunday lunchtime in Serie A.
“Juventus must win,” the delegate said in an interview with Il Secolo XIX. “We always play to win. Today I am super-satisfied of being at Juventus.
Beppe Marotta discusses his tenure with Juventus, praises ex-team Sampdoria as the season’s ‘revelation’ and updates on Manolo Gabbiadini.
Marotta moved over to Juventus in 2010 after eight years spent as director general at Sampdoria, with the two clubs set to clash this Sunday lunchtime in Serie A.
“Juventus must win,” the delegate said in an interview with Il Secolo XIX. “We always play to win. Today I am super-satisfied of being at Juventus.
“I have the esteem of Andrea Agnelli and I am happy here. After Juventus I see myself in something other than a football club.
“Though my home is in Genova and that's where I see myself spending old age.”
On the subject of that city, Marotta believes its two teams are this year's biggest surprise.
“Sampdoria, along with Genoa, is absolutely the revelation of this season.
“They play so carefree and such a great freedom that they can obtain results anywhere.
“They can do well, because their minds are free and there are no expectations around them.”
Marotta also expressed himself on Manolo Gabbiadini, the Sampdoria striker co-owned by Juve, who is increasingly being linked with Napoli.
“He is co-owned between ourselves and Sampdoria, and co-ownerships have to be resolved by June 30.
“There is an opportunity, and it seems like the player is happy. There are no problems for us, but we'll see how things go.”
Samp Coach Sinisa Mihajlovic was linked with a host of clubs over the summer, but were Juventus interested?
“Back then it seemed like we could go ahead with Conte. When Conte left we got in touch with Allegri, and we're still very, very satisfied with him.”
Juventus have recently qualified for the Champions League's Last 16, but Marotta knows that will be a wholly new level.
“It's a different tournament compared to the championship, in which all the real values eventually emerge.
“It's a tournament in which there is more space for chance, it's enough to mention the importance of the draw, or the weather conditions.
“Our football is in a crisis for various reasons. One of them is that people only ever talk about broadcasting rights.
“But the structural problems are a lot more serious, and they range from the lack of property stadiums to the infrastructure necessary to develop our youth.
“Only a few clubs have sports centres that are at the appropriate level.”