While Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over Sevilla in the Champions League secured Juventus’ place in the last 16 of the competition, there has been little time to spare relishing the result in Vinovo with a packed domestic calendar now looming large on the horizon.
Reaching the knockout round of Europe’s premier club competition for the second consecutive season was one of the Bianconeri’s primary objectives for the campaign and, beginning with a trip to Genoa this weekend, objectives two and three can now come into sharper focus: maintain top spot in Serie A until the business end of the season and lift some silverware in Doha in December.
Speaking to the Sky and Mediaset cameras this afternoon, wing wizard Juan Cuadrado has called on his team-mates to take pride in their UCL success during the week and to make sure they keep the same level of performance on Sunday at Genoa’s Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Discussing his own personal run of form and the ongoing drive to succeed at the heart of every member of the Juve squad, here are the key quotes from Juan’s interview:
Sunday’s recipe for success
“We must above all be calm and keep our heads on Sunday. We mustn’t take anything granted and make sure we approach the game with controlled aggression and determination.
"We picked up a brilliant result against Sevilla on Tuesday and we ticked off our first big objective of the season in reaching the competition’s knockout round.
“There’s a lot of football still to be played and all we can do is take one step at a time, focusing only on winning each game as it comes and seeing what kind of position that puts us in towards the end of the campaign."
Squad goals
“Our daily goal is to work hard on the training ground and improve wherever we can; we’re a top team and that means running the hard yards in every single session.
“This club is like a family and we are all ready to step in when required. Every member of this squad has the desire to win so when their chance comes, they are always there to give their all.”
Juventus? My second home
“I’m happy with the way I’m playing and the game time I’m receiving at the moment. Coming back to Italy and rejoining this great team was a big plus for me: this is my second home.”