Pirlo urges Juventus to retain focus after beating Real
7 May 2015 10:37 PM GMT
Delighted after his team’s 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the European Champions League here, Juventus midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo on Wednesday urged his team not to lose focus if they want to continue their success in the second leg.
Recently crowned Italian Serie A champions Juventus thumped defending champions Real 2-1 at the Juventus Stadium riding on goals from former Real player Alvaro Morata and Argentine journeyman Carlos Tevez. Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Real. “It was a great night, we have demonstrated our character and our value! Now we must remain focused and repeating ourselves in madrid!,” Pirlo wrote on Facebook.
Juventus have a one-goal advantage for the second leg that is set for next week at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Pirlo said his team sent a message to the current Champions League holders that they are focused on making the final. “We sent the message that we are here, we want this final and we’ll fight to the end in Madrid too,” the 35-year-old was quoted as saying by espnfc.com.
“It was a game, there is another and we need the same belief and focus. We have to go to Madrid with the confidence we can get to the final.
“We need to repeat this performance with technique and concentration.”
A trip to the Champions League final in Berlin would be a homecoming of sorts for Pirlo and several of his Juventus teammates, who were in the Italian team that won the World Cup there in 2006.
Juventus must not drop intensity: Alvaro Morata
Italian football club Juventus’ striker Alvaro Morata says his side must not take their foot off the gas when they meet Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid in the return-leg of the Champions League semi-final next week.
The 22-year-old, who struck the opener in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over his former employers, believes that the Champions League holders will be even more “formidable” next week’s.
“We need to have the mindset that the scores are still 0-0. We’ve won a great match but in order to make the final, there are always two games to play and we need to put in a perfect performance. We know what kind of team Real Madrid are. They’re the best in the world and we’ll need to be even better than we were,” Morata was quoted as saying by the Juventus website. The forward added Juventus need to carry on working hard and not become complacent, thinking they already have a foot in the final.
“It’s important we don’t stop here. We need to carry on working hard and get as far as possible. Everyone’s happy for our victory but it’s vital that we don’t think that the tie is done and dusted,” he concluded.
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