Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli admitted that his team played a ‘dreadful’ first half in the 3-3 draw with Bologna. The Bianconeri were 3-0 down by the 53′ minute but fought back in the closing 15 minutes to draw the game, following a wretched first half display. Speaking with Sky Sport Italia, Locatelli lamented his sides poor start to the game, insisting that the team needs to do more:
“It was truly an incredible game. In the first half, we were all over the place, and we acknowledged that among ourselves. When you wear this jersey, you have to show pride. It’s no coincidence that we managed to draw this game, but you have to analyze everything and be objective. We played a dreadful first half, and we have to be honest about that. Now we go home with a draw that gives us energy for the last match. At the end of the season, we’ll sum it all up, and we’ve made it to the Champions League and won the Coppa Italia.”
“Allegri’s dismissal? It’s clear that such a victory takes a lot out of you. Plus, with everything that happened, we all know and read about it, and it takes a toll. When you wear this jersey, you have to block everything out because if you focus on everything being said about us, you go crazy. So you need to stay calm, stick together with the club and the coach, and head in the same direction. Nothing else matters.”
“Allegri? The club makes decisions. We need to thank the coach for these years; he has given us a lot, even from a mental standpoint. But I won’t delve into matters that aren’t my business.”
“What does the season leave us with? It leaves us knowing that we’ve achieved our goals. We could have certainly done better, and we need to be honest with ourselves about that. We definitely experienced a drop that isn’t acceptable and absolutely cannot happen again. Now it’s important to finish well, and then we’ll have the energy to think about the next season. Otherwise, you go crazy because you also need to take a break.”
