TEAM BEHIND COACH, SAYS GALLIANI

MILAN – Adriano Galliani said the following at a Bosh TEC event earlier today:

"If Juventus win the title, there will also be a third meeting with the Bianconeri in addition to Saturday’s league clash and the TIM Cup final in the Italian Super Cup. But, one step at a time and let’s focus on this Saturday first of all. We cannot just rely on the Cup final, which is like a Russian roulette, and so we have to qualify for Europe via the league and make up the points we have dropped in recent games. When I spoke to the team at the start of the week, I told them that I have tried to analyse the situation as a manager. I told them that it’s hard to understand how in the second half of the season, and against four teams ahead of us, we beat Fiorentina and Inter and drew with Roma and Napoli while versus the teams behind us in the table we have dropped a lot of points. We also spoke about the fact that after the international breaks this season we have only picked up 1 point from 5 games. I am asking myself the reasons why and I have asked the coach and the players too. This squad is able to beat the big teams, but loses with the smaller ones. Balotelli is now fit and he has an immense desire to stay here at the club. I hope he shows that with his performances. He wants to stay here, but I told him that based on what he has shown up until now, he doesn’t deserve to stay. I told him to convince me that he should stay, seeing as we want the best for him. He has promised me he will do that and I hope he does so. We are all close to the coach and we are united with him. The club chose him and he has a 2 year contract here. Let’s allow him to work in peace. The players are behind him. After 30 years in this game, I realise when a team is with the coach or not. I wouldn’t be surprised if Locatelli were to be handed a first start. Montolivo is injured and Bertolacci is suspended. The coach will choose between him, Mauri and Poli."