Tudor Downplays Gonzalez Saga, Cautions Team Ahead Of Genoa Match

Juventus head coach Igor Tudor has urged his players to maintain their strong mentality as they prepare for Sunday’s tricky away clash against Genoa.

Speaking on the eve of the match, with quotes via IlBianconero, the Bianconeri coach praised his squad’s commitment in training and warned of the physical and organised challenge awaiting them at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Tudor urges Juventus to focus on Genoa test
“It’s been a good week, the lads have worked very well and the atmosphere is positive,” Tudor said, “Tomorrow we need to deliver a great performance. Genoa do not give you anything for free, they run a lot and are tough and well organised. And we know about the stadium. We must do well if we want to take points.”

He reflected positively on the Old Lady’s opening weekend victory against Parma, describing the “good feeling” as his side defeated a “defensively well-prepared opponent”.

Tudor talks Juventus Champions League draw and Nico Gonzalez
Looking ahead to the Champions League, after the Bianconeri discovered their league phase opponents on Thursday, Tudor stressed that simply reaching this stage of the competition is an achievement in and of itself, “It could have been better or worse but there are always going to be difficult matches. When the lads see the Champions League, everything changes. We enjoyed the draw together because we earned it with great sacrifice.”

The coach also refused to be drawn into speculation on the closing stages of the market, pointing out that general manager Damien Comolli is handling the final days of business, “I’ve already explained what I needed to. The market is complicated, there are still two days left so we will see what happens. I am happy with the squad I have, sometimes consistency is undervalued.”

Tudor hinted at tactical flexibility, suggesting Juventus could adapt to a 3-5-2 with two strikers, including Dusan Vlahovic who was, for large swathes of the summer, linked heavily away from the club. Tudor also clarified that there had been “no rejection” of Argentine winger Nico Gonzalez, who the coach described as “a player of real quality.”

Tudor concluded with one final warning ahead of the trip to Genoa, “They are very organised, everyone runs. If we can match that, we have the quality to get a result. If we do not… then we will have problems.”

Football-italia.net