12 May 2016
A right-back, an anchor man, a box-to-box midfielder, a winger, a ball-winner and now an undoubted Juventus hero. One of the so-called “Magnificent Eight” to have won all of the Bianconeri’s last five consecutive titles, you would struggle to find a more universally popular figure than Simone Padoin for both fans and players alike.
And, on the back of helping to change the face of Italian football in the past half-decade, Juventus’ utility man took a moment to look back on an unforgettable campaign once again in the company of the Sky cameras yesterday while going through a routine medical examination at the club’s new J-Medical facility.
With his place in history secured, all that remains for Padoin and co. is to end the season in style and do what no team has done before: win back-to-back domestic doubles.
Discussing everything from a richly deserved title triumph, the now famous 1-0 defeat to Sassuolo in October, the unique reception from the Juventus Stadium faithful and the ever forward-looking mindset of the club, the key quotes from Simone’s media meeting are as follows:
History, the present and the future
“It’s a privilege to be at Juventus. When I decided to join the club in January 2012, I knew that I would have the chance to win trophies but winning five league titles in a row is something else altogether. Knowing the club as well as I do now, all I can say is that this success is richly deserved. Everyone at this club wants to win.
“We’re lucky to have a world-class facility like J-Medical at our disposal. It’s an innovative project and I think it’s conception fits perfectly with the mentality of the club: however successful our present is, we are always looking to get one step ahead of the game and plan for the future.”
A “richly deserved” Scudetto
“It’s been a tough campaign. We started poorly but we put our pride on the shelf and got back to doing what we do best.
“Winning the league with an initial 10, 12-point deficit has made this title that little bit sweeter. The turning point? Undoubtedly the last-minute victory over Torino. After the defeat to Sassuolo in October we looked ourselves in the mirror and realised that we had to fight for the right to be considered Scudetto contenders. From that moment, everything changed.”
The J-Stadium buzz
“Scoring against Palermo at Juventus Stadium last month was a magical moment and the reception to the goal is something I will never forget. What that showed me was that these fans will always respect someone who plays with their heart and gives everything for the team.”
Milan and the Cup
“The cup final against Milan will be far from simple, one-off ties never are. They aren’t in the best condition at the moment but in a game like this, the form book goes out of the window. We know full well that we will have to be at 100 per cent to make the trophy ours once again.”
