TURIN, Italy —
Alvaro Morata
said on Monday he stayed at Juventus in January after coach Max Allegri
insisted the arrival of Dusan Vlahovic would help him.
اضافة اعلان
Allegri suggested in a press conference that
Morata will start up front alongside Vlahovic on Tuesday, when Juve play away
at Villarreal in the first leg of the Champions League last 16.
Morata was reportedly close to joining
Barcelona during the January transfer window after
Juventus signed Vlahovic for
80 million euros from Fiorentina.
"It's not important," said Morata
when asked about Barca's interest.
"We talked with the coach during the
transfer window, about his ideas, and he told me the arrival of
Dusan would
help me and that has been the case. I'm happy to be here. If it depended on me,
I would always stay here."
On Allegri's role in persuading him to stay,
Morata said: "I have always felt his confidence, since we started working
together. He is the first to ask me things, but he knows what I am and what I
am not.”
"He told me that I had to stay and that
he trusted me. Now I have to give everything to return his trust."
Vlahovic scored on his Juventus debut
against Genoa earlier this month to continue a sensational season in which the
22-year-old had already hit 25 goals in 21 games for Fiorentina.
"He has given us all extra
energy," said Morata. "You can see in his eyes how much Dusan is
looking forward to tomorrow's match. He only brings positive things. He is
young and he has a wonderful career ahead of him. He's adapted right
away."
Allegri, though, wanted to calm expectations
around Vlahovic, who will be making his Champions League debut against
Villarreal, the reigning Europa League champions, who sit sixth in La
Liga.
"Vlahovic is just starting in the
Champions League," said Allegri. "You can't put all the
responsibility on him because you need a lot of experience that he doesn't
have, you have to support him.
"When he has played 60 or 70 games, he
will be a totally different player. It's not just a technical question, but
also a psychological one, a question of pressure."
Juventus have enjoyed an upturn in form in
recent weeks, although two consecutive draws against
Atalanta and Torino have
dented their hopes of a late challenge for the Serie A title.
Villarreal have also improved in the second
half of the season, losing only once in their last 10
La Liga games.
"They're coming off a good period, like
us," said Allegri, who also confirmed Leonardo Bonucci would be available
after recovering from injury.
"They are a top team, with a lot of
physicality. I think it will be a tactical match, decided by little
details."
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