10 September 2017
Three games, ten goals scored and three wins. The start of the season has been more than convincing for the Bianconeri and Saturday's comprehensive victory over Chievo only further confirmed that there is no pre-season hangover for the boys in black and white.
No one has been more integral to the success of the squad over the last six Scudettos than people like Buffon, Barzagli and Chiellini, but Juve proved they can win without their talismen as Andrea told Mediaset and Sky Sports.
"It was inevitable that sooner or later the team would play without any of us," Barzagli explained. "But the result has not changed. We kept a clean sheet and we won the game. It's been a good start to the championship, where we responded well to the disappointment of losing the Super Cup. Even yesterday's was not a simple match, because it came after the international break, but we came out of the traps determined and convinced. That is just what we needed to do."
TIME FOR BARÇA
Juve couldn't have asked for a much bigger introduction to this year's Champions League group stage, facing five-time winners Barcelona. While what's at stake is a bit different than last year's quarter-final matchup, the challenge will still be the same.
"It's a game of great prestige," Barzagli emphasised. "Compared to five months ago, the stakes are different. Then it was a quarter-final and now it is a game for three important group stage points. It will be a tough contest, where we want to send a strong signal of intent to show everyone that this year too we want to progress to the competition's latter stages."
DYBALA AND NEYMAR ARE THE FUTURE
While Neymar has departed the Blaugrana, they "remain one of the strongest teams in the world with many other champions to keep an eye on," said Barzagli. He then emphasised what Massimiliano Allegri said on Saturday that Paulo Dybala and the Brazilian, who now plies his trade at PSG, are set to become the greatest players in the world when the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era ends.
"Paulo wants to get to the top and this, besides being something that we like, also helps the Bianconeri cause a great deal. The question is this: just how far can he reach? He still has plenty of room for improvement, as he shows us every year. Yes, he and Neymar are the future of football."
