Pjanic: In Roma i got too relaxed, being in Juventus is something huge
Yesterday Miralem didnt train, like he didnt before the Cagliari game. Before that game, Pjanic got a knock in training, but still played a few minutes. Minutes later he got fouled hard and the player got a red card
-That hit wasnt a big problem. Lately i feel strains on the periosteum so i began with teraphies. I will probably be fit soon, i hope by Friday when we play Palermo.
Its wonderful here. How does it feel being a Juventus player? Would you say that just now you became a world class player?
-Being a Juventus player is something huge. The feeling is great. To be in a club that many stars played in throughout the history is phenomenal. I can say i accomplished something big in my career but that was my goal initially. I progressed step by step and coming here is accomplishing only part of my dream. Im a man that always sets sights on new goals, im now in the strongest club in Italy and one of the 10 biggest in Europe. Maybe even 5 if we go by tradition and greatness, but thats something we will try to show this season in CL.
In Rome you was well respected. You ware the Prince of Rome. What was the key for you to leave all that and join their hated rival?
-I spent 5 seasons in Rome. I tried to win something but it didnt go well. Then i realized it is maybe time to make that step up. Btw, throughout my career i always went step by step. From Metz i joined Lyon, but then i needed something more. Joining Juventus is a product of a, in my opinion, normal process.
How did the negotiations go? You were always speculated about, even now many see you as the ideal player for Barcelona. Did you have other offers?
-There was, but Juventus followed me for 2 seasons, ever since Massimiliano Allegri took over as the coach. However, my opinion was that maybe, it wasnt the right time. Maybe it would have been too soon if i left a season earlier. Like i said, building everything up slowly, i felt that this season was the right moment. Btw, wherever i went i played. That was the most important thing for me on my path. I never wanted to go somewhere where i would sit at the bench. Money was never the deciding factor for me, it was always sporting motives.
The monotony of Roma
Can you compare Roma and Juventus for us, if its possible? One has 3, the other has 34 titles?
-Rome was a good place, but Juventus is an istitution. Every year the goal is to win trophies and everything below is a failure. Every year they buy the best players. What was the problem in Roma? They dont have that! They are rutted and its not important if you win the scudetto or not. So, after 5 years i got too relaxed. It became monotone and i needed a new challenge. My last year in Roma i stayed to try to win a trophy, but Juve were stronger, had a fantastic team and did some unbelievable things.
Allegri especially wanted you in the team. According to how hes known, hes very transparent when talking about tactics and has an explanation for everything. How is your relationship with him and overall, how is his relationship with the players?
-I really had the privilege to work with big coaches, Luis Enrique, Rudi Garcia, Luciano Spalletti, and now with Allegri. It wasnt easy the 1st six months to adapt to his style of play. I thought it will take 3 months at most, but all of the new players had the same problem and everyone at the team told us that it was totally expected, that its simply like that. Allegri is a very kind and friendly person. Hes very openminded and will tell you everything in the face. We talk a lot, not just about tactics but outside of training too. We respect that a lot and we all have almost friendship like status. In the end, you cant always play. The team has 2 great players on each position and he likes to rotate a lot.
Do you think Roma can challenge Juventus until the end?
-Until the last match nothing is over. They are our biggest rival. We are doing well and we dont underestimate them at all. We really want the scudetto, which would be a historical. Even with the president you can feel hes a little nervous, because he wants to lift the trophy as soon as possible. It would be the 1st time for someone to win six straight.
Over the wall
Can we clear once and for all - on which position you like to play the most, considering that its been argued about all the time over the years? Allegri said you will need some time before you can play infront of the defense.
-He wanted me at Juventus to play the position that Pirlo played before me, infront of the defense. Ofcourse its not easy in such a short time to take over all those duties, because at Roma i played a totally different position. Its not as if someone puts you in that place and you there are appearing and doing what you want. From me he expressly requests certain things and im trying to adapt them, but it will take time for that. Im giving my all in every game and the fact that i played in every position in the midfield tells a lot about me. In the NT i want to play closer to our defense. I think thats where i can give the most and thats how im in contact with the ball the most. From there the ball starts and from there i can go forward. The NT coach knows that all well and its his decision in the end, butthats what i told him. The further forward i am, the less i have the ball and that way im less effective.
Tell us in the end what do you do with the ball before a FK? How do you hit it, because almost every translates into a goal, like its a penalty?
-I feel brave and confident on the positions of 25-27 meters from the goal. I know thats when the ball will be dangerous if i hit it in the right place. I check the keeper and its just important to get the ball over the wall for me. I think my ability to take FKs isnt a great gift. Every training i stay an extra 30 minutes to practice FKs. I have my own way, and repetition is the mother of learning. Its important that the team always has these few FKs and then i will find a way to put the ball in the goal.
No one sane is mad at me for leaving Roma
- I think that no one is mad because i left Rome for Juventus. I spent there 5 seasons, joined as a young man with 20 years, developed as a player and man, and gave my best in every game. And when they sold me they too made a great deal. In the end we could all be happy. Today im in contact with my former teammates almost every day - with Nainggolan, Manolas, Totti, De Rossi...
Not even my father can enter
The procedure by entering the Juventus complex is like when entering Pentagon. To enter the Juventus training ground, you have to make a complete screening. Everything is official and precise. And thats one of the differences when compared to Roma.
-The people that work here are very professional. Especially for privacy and interviews. But, its like that for decades already. The players are much more respected. Its impossible to come to the training and watch. To everyone, even my father, fans, journalists... You have this room here, people wait until the training ends and that is fantastic to me. In Roma, everyone could attend everything, there wasnt really much order like here.
I will either give an interview like its supposed to be done or i will not give it at all
-I like when i give interviews like this. Someone would think i avoid journalists. When im with the NT, i dont want to repeat myself over and over again, becuase in 7 days i always get the same questions. Today i say something to you, tomorrow another journalist calls me to tell him the same i told you. Thats why its good when everyone is there at the conference, so i dont have to repeat the same 10 times. I will either give an interview like this or i will not even give it.
What else should Spalletti say other than criticize me
You mentioned Spalletti, he criticized you when you left Roma...
Nah, he didnt mean it. We talk to each other often over the phone. We are friends. He said that to motivate his team and i understood well what he tried to accomplish by saying that. Hes a very intelligent and temperamental coach. I think hes the coach i progressed the most under and i respect him a lot. And that what he said... what else is he gonna say, than that those who stayed are better than me.
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Pjanic compared Rome to Turin, said that the "eternal city" is one of the most beautiful in the world, but he likes Turin a lot.
-I like where im now. Im slowly adapting to life here. The thing i miss the most from Rome is the climate. Over there its sunny over the entire year, here its a little colder, so its a big difference. But a man gets used to everything.
Pjanic told us who he spends the most time with in Juventus, and who helped him the most when he arrived from Roma.
- I spend the most time with Dybala, Higuain, Mandzukic, Pjaca and Khedira. We are always together and everyone accepted me nicely. They know me from my time in Roma, and now they got to know me as a person, and its my pleasure to play with such champions, who proved that they are the strongest in Italy the last 5 years. Its a great privilege to play for Juventus.
Pjanic commented on who will be top scorer in the end - Dzeko or Higuain
-They will fight it out until the end, they are both top strikers. Roma plays a lot more offensive than we do. Dzeko is always in a scoring chance and is keeping Roma in the top of the table. Its gonna be tough until the end of the season but well, let Dzeko get the scoring title and us getting the scudetto in the end hehehe
The popular Mire also mentioned the Bosnian NT, said what its gonna take to qualify for the WC in Russia.
-We must try to win all the remaining games. Its obvious we lost 2 very important points in the last seconds in Greece. The game vs Greece in Zenica will be the most crucial. I hope we can finish 2nd, get into the playoffs and qualify for the World Cup in Russia.
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