Ranieri shrugs off Euro goal
Saturday 26 April, 2008
Juventus look set to mathematically clinch their Champions League spot this Sunday, but Claudio Ranieri sees no need to celebrate. “We only mark titles here.”
It is quite an achievement for the club that spent last season in Serie B and lost many of its stars in the Calciopoli scandal, especially as they are still in the running for second place.
“What will we do to celebrate? Nothing, because what we have done is notable and the sign of the winners’ DNA we still possess, but to reach the targets I have set there is a long way to go,” said the Coach.
“Considering what I want from myself and the team, to celebrate here would be excessive. It’s not that we shouldn’t be happy, but there is no need for a party either. It’s Juventus, we only mark titles here.”
The three points against Lazio would secure their place in the top four, leaving behind Milan and Sampdoria.
“We are focused on beating Lazio and that will not be an easy game. They paid a heavy price for injuries at the start of the season and once they went out of the Champions League found their pace. We got an important win in Rome with two fantastic Ale Del Piero goals from two equally brilliant Cristiano Zanetti assists.”
Ranieri is looking to the future, as entry into the Champions League does mean extra cash to reinforce the squad.
“We always said we’d more or less have two players per position. That is what we did last year and plan to do so again. We already have some stars with experience at this level and hope they can bring the others up with them.”
One man who is definitely sticking with Juve is Mauro German Camoranesi, the Argentine who won the World Cup with Italy and has recently been experimenting a central midfield role for the Bianconeri.
“It is a possible solution for the future and he can improve there,” continued Ranieri.
“Juve are starting to realise how well they are doing. I don’t want to single out just one figure, but in the first half of the season I said we were missing Camoranesi and that was because we needed somebody who could take on opponents.”
Momo Sissoko and Giorgio Chiellini are back in the squad after missing the 4-0 hammering of Atalanta through injury, so the only absentees are Vincenzo Iaquinta and Jorge Andrade.
Juventus squad: Buffon, Birindelli, Chiellini, Zebina, Zanetti, Salihamidzic, Camoranesi, Del Piero, Nedved, Belardi, Trezeguet, Palladino, Grygera, Sissoko, Nocerino, Stendardo, Molinaro, Tiago, Marchionni, Legrottaglie.
from : Channel4.com