Juventus put their 14th Coppa Italia on the bulletin board. Goals by Kulusevski and Chiesa decided the outcome of the Cup final against Italia, which left nothing but happiness stretched across their faces. Coach Andrea Pirlo, Federico Chiesa, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon commented on the success after the game.
ANDREA PIRLO
“It was a wonderful match between two great teams who fought until the final minute. It was a final worthy of the name, finally in front of the public, and it was important after everything that happened to have a good match. We wanted to win and to bring home this trophy. We didn't have a positive season, but we came together and got it into our heads that we wanted this cup. We beat two great teams in the semifinals and in the final, a credit to them, but Juve deserved it. We were changing Chiesa, because he was not at his best, but he fought on the pitch for the whole match. I congratulate him, because it is always great to score a goal in the final and it is not for everyone to succeed. At the beginning we weren't able to press very high, instead in the second half we managed to be more ferocious. The beauty of football is that you get can these satisfactions that gratify you. Now we head into Sunday, when our future will be decided, even if it's not all in our hands.”
FEDERICO CHIESA
“It was an intense final, we give credit to Atalanta who played a great match, but Juve made the most of their experience and we took home a very important trophy. We returned in the second half with a lot of intensity and a lot of desire, we were good at accelerating and we took home the victory. Buffon? Before the game I told him that, having won this trophy with my dad, today he should win it with me. We succeeded and this makes us further understand what a legend Buffon is. This match was wonderful for everyone, this is a reward for everyone, for all the efforts made in these difficult months.”
GIORGIO CHIELLINI
“With the fans in the stadium it’s a whole other life, another atmosphere and I think both teams were pleased, giving off even more energy. After the match against Milan we found the desire to fight and sacrifice ourselves, in these great matches the real Juventus came out. On Sunday, we will have to do our duty and win a difficult match, then we'll see if the others have been better than us. We are happy to have raised the second trophy of the season, to have won a tough, difficult match against a great team that is growing year after year. Maybe for the first time, after ten years, we weren't the favourites in an Italian final, it was a bit strange. Atalanta started very strong, they arrived on every ball with ferocity and aggressiveness, but the feeling at the end of the first half was that they had spent a lot and that with a bit of extra pressure and organisation we could put them in difficulty. That was the case”.
GIANLUIGI BUFFON
“Today was a great emotion. To finish like this makes me proud and I was delighted to share with my teammates many adventures up to this final. The fans today were the icing on the cake. They, the Juventus people, the managers, the President and my teammates will always be a part of my life. I think I have given so much love, professionalism, pride and courage every time I took to the field with this shirt and I am proud of this.”