The international break often represents a fitting moment to take stock of the situation following a frenzied fixture list over recent months.
Stefano Sturaro was in precisely this mood on Thursday afternoon with the midfielder keen to tackle a series of topics, as he settled into his interview before the Sky Sport and Mediaset cameras.
Battle with Bayern
“At first we were clearly very disappointed about exiting the Champions League, but we’ve since taken heart from the fact that if we can go toe to toe with Bayern like that we’ve reached an extremely high level.”
Title race
“We started the season slowly, which was perhaps to be expected given that we’d made many changes to personnel over the summer. Over time, however, we improved a lot from a physical standpoint and we have blossomed ever since, surging up the league table and now we certainly don’t want to let the Scudetto slip from our grasp.
“We know that we have it in us to go on and win it, which would be a great achievement and one which would go down in history. That said, this season the league is still very open and so we need to keep up the intensity until the very end.”
Derby Della Mole
“Derbies are always must-win matches. The victory gave us three points just like our other wins and, quite frankly, every game is important between now and the end of the season.”
Rapport with the fans
“I think that they appreciate the fact that I give everything I’ve got whenever I enter the field. They notice these things.”
How to describe Buffon?
“The first word that comes to my mind is ‘legend.’ He has created history both with Juventus and with the national team. There’s nobody like him and he is the best role model one could follow.”
The Azzurri
“I give my all everyday aiming to eventually break into the national side. This remains my dream and I hope that by working hard on a consistent basis I’ll get the call-up.”
Music
“I especially like rap, both Italian and American, but I’m also partial to hip hop. Before games, I like to listen to more aggressive tracks. Then again, that’s best heard through the headphones, as Pogba, Pereyra and Caceres are the ones in charge of the music in the changing room. They have the speakers after all!”
Tattoos
“My tattoos are inspired by moments in my life that I want to remember. The next one will hopefully be a Scudetto or a Coppa Italia.”
Other sports
“I like to watch a bit of everything, especially American football and NBA. In reality, however, when I’m at home I prefer to spend quality time with my family.”