Turin-Atalanta, Juric: “Gasperini is like Sacchi”

From our correspondent Mario Pagliara

April 28th
– turin

“Tomorrow we have to be perfect, as we were at Lazio. And also a little lucky”. Ivan Juric summons the reporters at aperitif time and, as soon as training is over, thus opens the discussion on tomorrow night’s match at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino against Maestro Gasperini’s Atalanta. “We must have a match plan and execute it faithfully – continues Juric -, as we did on Saturday in Rome, knowing that they are two completely different matches. But I want the team to also put that competitive malice that I saw in Atalanta against Roma”. And he adds: “We have to show that we are a serious, tough team and that we are improving”.

radonjic

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The approach to tomorrow’s match was filled by Radonjic’s injury: Juric lost his most fit striker, due to an injury to his left rectus femoris, for at least three days. “Sometimes unexpected things happen – says the Turin coach -: I am very sorry for him because for the first time in his life he felt he was doing the right things. But we have to go on, we have many other options: we will be able to replace him well.” Will Rado be able to return to action before the end of the season? “Hopefully, he’s confident. We certainly won’t have him until the match against Monza.” Instead of him, Karamoh leaps to pole position: “It’s one of the options, I haven’t decided yet: tomorrow we will have the finishing and I will make the choice”.

bagged gasp

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When the intersection with Gasperini arrives, it is impossible not to mention the challenge between the master Gasp and his main student, Juric. “For me Gasperini is like Sacchi – reflects Juric -, and it is normal that his influence is strong on me. Just as Sacchi changed football, introducing the 4-man line and the offside and everyone was talking about him, so Gasperini changed many things”. And he continues: “Against him there have always been good matches, but tomorrow is not the match against him but it will be against a very great Atalanta”. Juric announces that Pellegri will be back in the squad tomorrow, “the tour in the Spring did him good”. He praises the former Miranchuk, “I’m overjoyed with him: I’d like him to stay next year too”.

And it gives the feeling of launching Ricci as owner again alongside Ilic in directing: “Ricci is fine, Linetty played a magnificent game in Rome. Gineitis is a little behind, but now I have three players, him, Linetty and Ilic that I watch carefully. Atalanta in midfield are perfect, because they have both great technique and great strength. We tend to have more technique and less strength: however we are younger, with two midfielders born in 2001 (Ilic and Ricci, ed), and we are confident that over time we will take these players to a higher level”. The latest is on Vlasic: “I expect him to continue like in Rome and to have a great season finale”.