Full interview with the director of Udinese Pierpaolo Marino

Pierpaolo Marino, the director of Udinese, gave a lengthy interview to Tuttosport, touching on a variety of topics relating to Juve and the market.

HAPPY- “Max has been my protégé since his days in Pescara, but there are no miracles in the first year. He is not a rookie at the start of the season, having overcome handicaps and made incredible comebacks. However, a bit of Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell to the last and the arrival of Vlahovic only in January complicated matters. Allegri has a lot of reasons. As a player, he was a combination of genius and recklessness; on the bench, he is only genius: he is one-of-a-kind in terms of cerebral. As a value, I rank him alongside Guardiola and Klopp. Max appears to be a defensive player, but in reality, he perfectly embodies the Juve philosophy: “only winning matters.”

MOLINA – “He reminds me of Cuadrado in some ways. Nahuel is an offensive player who requires assists and goals. And he can play fourth defence on the right like in Argentina, or fifth in midfield like here. He’s fantastic. Juve? I’ve also heard from others, and I’m not surprised: Molina is correct. We have a great relationship with Juventus, but there are other European clubs interested as well. In the summer, I anticipate a good fight. But I wouldn’t take anything for granted: the Pozzo family has the financial resources to keep his best players, and as a matter of company policy, we don’t chain anyone.”

DE PAUL – “Rodrigo must be a great title in Atletico Madrid, just as he is in Argentina. If his utilisation does not improve quickly, I would not be surprised to see him return to Serie A. It would be ideal for Juventus in the post-Dybala era.”

DYBALA – “Certain modern football stories are destined for a natural conclusion. It’s a split that will benefit both Juventus and Dybala. Whoever takes Paulo will strike a deal. Who is going to sign him? Inter. Marotta has a good relationship with Paulo, and this will be the deciding factor.”

VLAHOVIC – “For me, Dusan has something of Anastasi and he will be the new Lewandowski, even if he has different mechanics. Vlahovic will be the strongest centre forward in the world in 2-3 years and will be worth €200-250 million”

DE LIGT- “I would not be surprised by an important offer from England. De Ligt is young, top and has ideal characteristics for the Premier.”