Juventus director Pavel Nedved warns Monaco are a tough opponent after drawing them in the Champions League.
Going by UEFA club rankings, the Quarter Final tie represents the best the Old Lady could have hoped for, with Monaco ranked 71st, the lowliest team in the draw by some distance.
However, the former Czech international insists it's no accident that the Ligue 1 side are in the Quarter Finals, and praises Max Allegri.
“Is this what we wanted?” Nedved considered, speaking to Sky after the draw.
Juventus director Pavel Nedved warns Monaco are a tough opponent after drawing them in the Champions League.
Going by UEFA club rankings, the Quarter Final tie represents the best the Old Lady could have hoped for, with Monaco ranked 71st, the lowliest team in the draw by some distance.
However, the former Czech international insists it's no accident that the Ligue 1 side are in the Quarter Finals, and praises Max Allegri.
“Is this what we wanted?” Nedved considered, speaking to Sky after the draw.
“It’s hard to say, I’ll tell you later, we have the chance to go through, and that’s the important thing.
“We have to concentrate and prove that we’re strong in Europe, and I must say, I saw both of Monaco’s matches [in the last round against Arsenal] and they’re not in the Quarter Finals by chance.
“They played two great games, and though in the second game they suffered a bit more, I have to say I was impressed with them at the Emirates Stadium in London.
“They’re possibly more dangerous away from home than at home, so we have to be careful.
“We can’t think too far ahead, given the problems we’ve had lately, with injuries to players. I’ve also heard something which is incorrect, that we’ve already won the League.
“That’s not true, there are still too many games to go, so we have to manage the squad in a perfect way, especially now.
“I think our players are in an impressive run of form. It’s happened and just the right time and for that too I have to congratulate the Coach [Max Allegri].
“He’s managed the squad well, giveng us the calm to face Europe in the way we did [against Dortmund].
“This is maybe what we were lacking before, and now we have it.”
When Juventus lifted the Champions League in 1996, they had focused all their energies on the competition at the expense of Serie A, with a 14-point lead, could they do that this year?
“No, absolutely not, because just the opposite happened to me. We had won the League in 2003, we had switched off a bit and maybe we paid for that a little bit [losing the Champions League final to Milan].
“You have to be prepared for every game, play every game with the utmost concentration so you can get to the end. “To do otherwise would be a mistake.”