Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot revealed that he had an ‘immediate connection’ with Max Allegri, and explained why Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is his idol. The Frenchman spoke with DAZN (via ilBianconero) and recounted his arrival in Turin and his first seasons with the Bianconeri:
“I had met Allegri the season before arriving at Juve and he is the one who wanted me here, but when I signed, he had already left.”
“When we met again there was an immediate connection. I came to the club after spending six months without playing. I had received some criticism and I still had to adapt, but I improved a lot. I know the coach’s mentality, I know what he wants from us. We share the same winning approach.
“We talked a lot during the season and he also often sends me messages, even when I’m on holiday!
“When the coach gets angry in the final minutes we can’t help but see it from the pitch, but this aspect of Allegri is also positive. He lives the matches to the fullest and wants to stay in the game until the end. I am happy to wear the captain’s armband, especially considering the history of this club.”
“My idol is Steven Gerrard, a box-to-box midfielder capable of scoring by shooting from thirty meters and then sliding to defend his goal. At the time he was already a modern player.
“My dream? I choose the Champions League because I believe it is the most difficult competition to win. At PSG, everyone was good to me, but I had a special relationship with Thiago Motta with whom I played in midfield.
“Even then, I imagined he could become a coach because he had the vision and often spoke about tactics.”
