Motta: Champions League clash vs. Stuttgart will be a 'beautiful game to play'

Yesterday at 12:50 PM

Thiago Motta and Mattia Perin give us their thoughts ahead of tough clash against Stuttgart

Ahead of Juventus' Champions League fixture against Stuttgart on Tuesday, coach Thiago Motta and goalkeeper Mattia Perin sat down to share their thoughts about the upcoming game and the squad's progression. Motta also praised Stuttgart's play style and asserted that their meeting will make for an exciting display of football.

"Stuttgart play well, they are very good at pressing first and organizing themselves, building a line of five that is difficult to overcome," Motta said. "I like them a lot, it will be a beautiful game to play, and we will have to be complete, as I think the Germans are, preventing them from playing a comfortable game: this means keeping the ball, fighting and defending together when it's time, closing spaces, not giving them chances to play their own game."

Motta also spoke about Juve's general progression as a team. He argued that Juve are certainly a team in transition and are improving with every game.

"We must always aim to exceed expectations and improve: it's good for us and for the atmosphere, we work with openness and humility, facing one game after the other, with the right attitude and the desire to do well together," Motta said. "We are not all the same, and differences are beautiful."

Regarding questions about Juve's recent difficulty scoring against teams that close the ball down, Motta argued that the club must remain steadfast in their strategy and continue to fight for goals even when they do not appear likely.

"Problems with teams that close the ball down? True, but it's not just Juventus who has them, it's part of football, and that's why we must always give it our all, believing in our strategy to the end," Motta said. "It's no coincidence that on Saturday we beat Lazio in the last few minutes. I have strong players in all positions, and that is a victory: it is very important that we are all going in the same direction, putting the team's objectives first, and we must continue like this."

Yalking about his players, and specifically Andrea Cambiaso, who continues to show that he can be a leader for the team, Motta also stated that "tomorrow they could all start (like against Lazio), and [Andrea] Cambiaso could be captain again."

Perin, who will get the start in goal as Michele Di Gregorio serves his suspension after getting a red card in their last Champions League match against RB Leipzig, spoke about the atmosphere in the dressing room and his place in the team.

Perin stated that amid the excitement and enthusiasm about the squad's form and competitiveness within the Serie A and Champions League, "we're trying not to be influenced by what people are saying on the outside, but focus on our energy, passion and the pleasure of being together; who knows how far we will go, right now we're just living in the present, and the present is Stuttgart."

Perin also praised Juve's opponent and stressed that the game will require the same degree of effort and passion they've been giving all season, especially since Stuttgart play with a similar style.

"We will need to use our heads and hearts, because they have a similar philosophy to ours: they love to keep possession of the ball." Perin said. "But the Champions League always sparks something special, in every respect. We must move forward with our own mentality and attitude: we are building something solid, even if we are only at the beginning right now."

Furthermore, Perin spoke about his position in the team. Despite being Juve's backup keeper for some time now, he holds a positive outlook on his position in the club. Motta has certainly been playing him more as compared to last season, and he has become an important rotational piece for the squad.

"I personally feel great, I try to bring experience and passion to everything I do," said Perin, who is rumored to be on the verge of signing a contract extension with Juventus. "I see a future here, and that sentiment is shared by the club. I don't feel like a second goalkeeper but a co-goalkeeper, and it's the coach and the club that make me feel like that; it's up to us to prove with hard work that we are all possible starters. On the other hand, if you play a lot, it's right that everyone should always be available: the goalkeepers push each other to improve every day."