Mattia Perin surprised by Luciano Spalletti’s words
Mattia Perin has reassured everyone about his physical condition ahead of the big match against Napoli, which he will also experience from the bench, with Di Gregorio ready to defend the posts of the Old Lady: “I had a small fatigue, but I’m doing everything to try to start for Napoli. I will try to train again in the group with the rest of the team. We don’t want to make my problem more serious than it is. Spalletti called me the locker room influencer? When I heard it, it made me smile: the coach has a really wide vocabulary, sometimes he pulls out some incredible terms. Kind of like Allegri: two Tuscans, two geniuses. I don’t think it’s an accident. What I can say is that I do everything to put my experience at the disposal of young people. It is a responsibility I have chosen to take on because of my age, and from the fact that I have been lucky enough to share the locker room with legends of this club and of world soccer. I do it every day, especially in those periods when I get little playing time and need stimulation. Thinking that I can be a guide for the boys gives me energy and enthusiasm”.
“Michele, Carlo, and I try to put our experience at their service to allow them to acquire new tools to include in their respective technical baggage– he added on the sidelines of a Balocco event. “These boys represent the future of the club. Over the years I have learned that Juventus comes first, so it becomes essential to put their qualities at the disposal of the club. Sooner or later some of us will leave, others will stop playing, but Juve will remain forever. That is why ego must never take over.” Upon Spalletti’s arrival at Continassathe clip of your introductions went viral. Did it put you in awe? “Absolutely not. She used irony to get across a sacrosanct concept: her well-being will depend on us. No pressure, on the contrary: it helps us understand how much unexpressed there still is within each of us.”
Inevitable other questions about Spalletti: “On the tactical level he is phenomenal, incredible, manic: one of the strongest I have ever worked with. He has readings on the field that are absolute top-notch. Daniele De Rossi had told me about him when we were in the national team, but I didn’t imagine stuff like that. He has an inhuman meticulousness in taking care of every single detail. And that can only make us grow individually and as a group. By now in Serie A, as in Europe, the difference between the various teams is played out in tiny percentage terms. He is making us understand that adding that extra 1 percent from time to time can make all the difference in the world between winning and not winning a game. Between passing or not passing a cup round. He has surprised me in a positive way.”
“The coach is experienced enough to be able to live the eve of this game in the best way. He is preparing us both emotionally and tactically. The upcoming matches will be crucial, now there are no longer any mattress teams, the pressure is always very high. I hope this schedule will stimulate us to show that we can raise our level. Of course, the absences of Vlahovic and Gatti will weigh heavily, especially Dusan’s which is expected to be longer. Fortunately, we are Juventus and we have players like Openda and David on the roster who can replace him the best. I see them every day in training and believe me: they deserve to be here. They were not chosen at random; they earned the club’s call. Sometimes it is difficult to prove it: it takes a period of acclimatization. The time will come when both will fully prove that they can wear this jersey”.
