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Juventus head coach Igor Tudor has heaped praise on his compatriot Luka Modric, while also commenting on the battle with Massimiliano Allegri.
The two biggest clubs in Italy renew their rivalry at the Allianz Stadium in a game that pits the side top of the league (Milan) against one that have not lost for 10 games in the league stretching back into last season.
Juve were above the Rossoneri but back-to-back draws against Verona and Atalanta have seen them drop in the standings. Napoli, Roma and Milan all had 12 points on the board going into the sixth round, with the Bianconeri a point behind, which shows just how tight things are.
In addition to yesterday’s press conference, Tudor previewed tonight’s match against Milan in an interview with DAZN. His comments are below, via MilanPress.
How are your players doing?
“I haven’t seen them because we did a little bit of training yesterday, then we’ll train today [yesterday] at 6 pm and then we’ll start. Well, it’s a big match against Milan at our home, we want to put in a high-level performance.”
What are your memories of Juventus vs. Milan?
“So many emotions, so many goals, so many great games, so much charm. Great moments, we often did well against them.”
What do you expect from your team?
“I expect a good match, and the start of the season has been filled with so many great games. The schedule has been like that, with so many high-level matches, in the Champions League, and also in the league against Inter, Atalanta, and now Milan – all big games in a short space of time.
“We need to perform well, first with great concentration, with respect for them, but also with awareness of our own abilities.”
There is a battle between Conceicao and Zhegrova…
“Cisco is an important player. He’s always been a starter, but it’s clear he wasn’t capable of playing 90 minutes. He was coming back from an injury, and at most he could have played one half. He’s starting against Milan because he’s an important player, and we hope he can do well.
“Zhegrova is working well. He has his own issues that we’re working on. He has been out for a year, but he is working hard and will help us in the future.”
You will face Massimiliano Allegri…
“I don’t know how much his work is still felt in the Juventus environment. He’s been here for many years, which means he’s done a good job and is a top-notch coach.
“His history speaks for itself, all the trophies he’s won. As I’ve already said, he’s a coach I also appreciate as a person. Who throws their jacket first? No, no, I don’t wear one, it’s his, it’s his (laughs).”
How will you stop Modric?
“We’ve talked about it a lot; a Croatian winning a Ballon d’Or will probably never happen again. He’s incredibly strong in every way; it’s amazing to see him on the pitch, even at this age, where he’s doing so well.
“I’ve never seen someone playing at this level at 40. We know each other, we played together for the national team, and he’s a great player in every sense of the word.”
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