THE PRESS CONFERENCE. The coach on the eve of Juventus: «Kristensen will play, Raspadori is improving, I expect more personality from Scalvini».
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Speaks at the press conference Maurizio Sarri, Atalanta’s coach, on the eve of the big challenge at Juventus’ ground. Starting from the team’s moment and the work in the non-possession phase: «At Lazio I lived a different situation, with many players who had already worked with me. Our defensive phase was too low and passive, with different signals against Cagliari: a higher center of gravity, but not good readings. Without Kossounou, Kristensen will play».
On his past as Juventus coach: «A strange, difficult experience, also for extra-football reasons. It ended with a win, which was considered obvious, but it absolutely was not. But then it ended there, for me it is a closed chapter».
The difficulties
The difficulties in daily work on the field, due to internationals, midweek rounds and the transfer market: «It’s the football of recent years. There is the risk of buying on August 31 and by November having made them do ten training sessions. So there is a need to play matches, make mistakes, accumulate errors and hope that from mistakes one can start to improve».
On Kristensen, who will start against Juve: «He arrived with a problem, which then worsened, so with us he worked little, only in the last week or ten days he did. He cannot be fully integrated, but he is a player with individual qualities». On the challenge with Spalletti: «It will be a tough match, but for those who go on the field, not for the coaches. We don’t have the joystick, we are tied to the players we have and the type of football we can play».
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«Raspadori is improving»
Raspadori and the unexpressed qualities: «At Napoli he didn’t start much as a starter but made an impact coming off the bench. In these two months he initially struggled a lot to find the best condition. At this moment he seems to me to be improving, against Cagliari coming on more centrally he seems to have done quite well. He didn’t have a decisive impact but I had the impression of a lively player, hopefully this impression will turn into reality in the next matches».
«I expect more personality»
On Kolasinac and personality on the field: «I have a group of players with great application, professionalism, work culture, but in terms of making themselves heard and leading in moments when everything must be brought out we are still a bit silent. Kolasinac from this point of view can help us, but I hope for the growth of relatively young but already experienced players. On the defensive line, in terms of personality I expect more from Scalvini, not from the technical-tactical performance point of view, but from the personality point of view. I think he has wide margins, he is very strong, an absolute level player destined to improve». The ballot between Kessie and Gaetano in midfield: «I still have a day to think about it, let me think (laughs, ed). I would like to tell them before you. They can also both play. Kessie has experience so he has played with three, two and in different positions. The same for Gaetano, but I think his future is that, as a playmaker».
«I am close to our fans»
On the tactical challenge between Juventus and Atalanta: «They have shown solutions that we have repeatedly faced recently. You journalists tend to think that the coach has the joystick, but matches are won and lost in relation to the teams, the opponents, the moments». On Atalanta fans, who will not be able to be at the Stadium due to various restrictions: «I don’t understand and don’t digest collective punishment. Tomorrow, a person from Bergamo with his son, who has never committed anything inside or outside the stadium, cannot go to watch the match. It is unconstitutional. I am close to all our fans and I share what they think at this moment».
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