Thiago Motta, Juventus manager, is attending a press conference in Riyadh on the eve of the clash against Milan.
Have you spoken with Francisco Conceição?
"We’ll see if he plays or not. He’s doing well and is motivated. For him, nothing will change. He’ll stay focused on his work and the match."
Is Teun Koopmeiners more useful in midfield or as an attacking midfielder?
"Both, he can play either role. However, he might also start on the bench."
At Juventus, winning is the only thing that matters...
"I’ve never seen a team play to lose. Tomorrow is a different competition, and we have to give our best as a team."
What kind of team is Milan?
"Milan is a great team, with good players and a coach who did an excellent job with Porto."
Does Milan change a lot? Motta replied:
"We will certainly be ready to face the best Milan possible, because we’ll go onto the pitch doing what we need to do."
How do you expect Milan to play after their coaching change?
"We’ll certainly be ready because we know what we need to do against a great team, used to important competitions. What will matter is what we do, not what they do."
What needs to make the difference tomorrow?
"In a football match, everything makes the difference, starting from the small details. As I said before, we need to stay focused and determined to be the best version of ourselves, improve what hasn’t worked, and maintain consistency in what we’ve done well."
Where is Kenan Yildiz in his development journey?
"He’s at the beginning; he’s a young player, 19 years old. He can do important things because he has great qualities. He needs to keep growing and learn to do what the coach asks, taking advantage of many positive examples. One of them is Locatelli: his way of communicating with his teammates is excellent."
How much do you care about your first title as a coach? Motta answered:
"I want to win as a coach—that’s why I chose this profession. But for me, it’s not an obsession today. I need to stay calm and confident in our strength. Tomorrow we have a great match ahead, with respect for our opponent and the desire to impose our game."
What do you think about Fikayo Tomori? Motta replied:
"I don’t talk about other teams’ players, I talk about mine. I’ve spoken collectively; Milan has many strong players, and that’s clear to everyone. I’ll respond about my players, not others’, because I wouldn’t want others talking about mine. I’m very protective."
