- Title: SPAIN: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Juve respect but don't fear Real
- Date: 22nd October 2013
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 22, 2013) (REUTERS) JUVENTUS PLAYERS ON THE SANTIAGO BERNABEU PITCH MIDFIELDER ANDREA PIRLO LOOKING AT SANTIAGO BERNABEU STANDS GOALKEEPER GIANLUIGI BUFFON POINTING AT THE STANDS MIDFIELDER CLAUDIO MARCHISIO AT TRAINING SESSION STRIKER FERNANDO LLORENTE PUTTING SHIRT ON MIDFIELDER ARTURO VIDAL JUGGLING THE BALL WITH MIDFIELDER PAUL POGBA AND LLORENTE LLORENTE KIDDING WITH MIDFIELDER KWADWO ASAMOAH DEFENDER MARTIN CACERES SHOOTING LLORENTE, FORWARD CARLOS TEVEZ, GOALKEEPER MARCO STORARI AND PIRLO LISTENING TO COACH ANTONIO CONTE PLAYERS TRAINING POGBA TRAINING LLORENTE TRAINING FORMER JUVENTUS MIDFIELDER PAVEL NEDVED ATTENDING TO SESSION LLORENTE AT SESSION VIDAL TRAINING FORWARD SEBASTIAN GIOVINCO TRAINING VIDAL TRAINING BUFFON TRAINING SANTIAGO BERNABEU STADIUM CONTE AND DEFENDER GIORGIO CHIELLINI PHOTOGRAPHER NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM CONTE AND CHIELLINI SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) JUVENTUS COACH ANTONIO CONTE, SAYING: "Real Madrid have an structure designed to winning everything. They have the possibility, the economic situation, they have a very strong squad. As I said, they have the possibility to buy a player for 100 million (euros) and at the same time sell two players, one for 50 (million) and the other for 40 (million). That speaks out about their potential. I don't think many teams are capable of selling players for 50 million. Ozil and Higuain for 87 million. This speaks about the size of the team. I think Real Madrid have to aim to win. No matter who arrives, if it is a player or a coach they know that they have to aim at the maximum." PHOTOGRPAHER CONTE AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) JUVENTUS COACH ANTONIO CONTE, SAYING: "We've got great respect for Real (Madrid) because they are a very powerful team. We are not afraid because you can't be afraid of anybody even less when you work for this match. We've got great respect because we know that we are facing a clear candidate to win (the tournament) a super powerful football team." VARIOUS OF NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) JUVENTUS DEFENDER GIORGIO CHIELLINI, SAYING: "It is difficult to talk about (Gareth) Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo because Real Madrid have so many winning players that can be as dangerous as them." CAMERAMAN CONTE AND CHIELLINI LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 6th November 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- City:
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAAPVU2LRCQLM2QJZAZ912P49Y1
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- Story Text: As European heavyweights Juventus prepared on Tuesday (October 22) for their Champions League clash against Real Madrid the Italian side's coach Antonio Conte said the Spanish side had a economic structure tailored to win everything.
Real have splashed more than 600 million euros on players over the past five years in a bid to secure the 10th European crown - known as the 'decima' in Spain - they have been chasing since they last won the Champions League in 2002.
Their outlay is almost three times as much as European and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, who have spent 227 million, according to the latest Prime Time Sport Football ransfer Review published last month.
Only English Premier League side Manchester City come close with an outlay of 549 million, while Juve have spent the most of any Serie A club with 274 million.
Asked their clash with Real Madrid, Conte said they won't be afraid but identified Ancelotti's team as one of the potential winners of the Champions League.
"Real Madrid have an structure designed to winning everything. They have the possibility, the economic situation, they have a very strong squad. The have the possibility to buy a player for 100 million (euros) and at the same time sell two players, one for 50 (million) and the other for 40 (million). That speaks out about their potential.
"I don't think many teams are capable of selling players for 50 million. Ozil and Higuain for 87 million. This speaks about the size of the team. I think Real Madrid have to aim to win. No matter who arrives, if it is a player or a coach they know that they have to aim at the maximum," the 44-year-old coach said.
"We've got great respect for Real (Madrid) because they are a very powerful team. We are not afraid because you can't be afraid of anybody even less when you work for this match. We've got great respect because we know that we are facing a clear candidate to win (the tournament) a super powerful football team," he said before directing a training session in the Bernabeu.
Real are a work in progress under Carlo Ancelotti, who replaced Jose Mourinho at the end of last season, and face a challenging week with Wednesday's game against the Italian champions followed by Saturday's La Liga 'Clasico' at Barcelona.
Madrid are flying in Europe, however, following thrashings of Group B rivals Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen in their opening two matches, and victory against Juve will put them seven points clear of the Turin-based side with three games remaining.
Asked if he had a special plan to stop Real's stars, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, Giorgio Chiellini said he had many players to wary about.
"It is difficult to talk about (Gareth) Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo becasue Real Madrid have so many winning players that can be as dangerous as them," he said.
Conte, who also played under Ancelotti for the Italian champions, needs to lift his players after they crashed to a first defeat of the Serie A season on Sunday (October 20). They conceded four goals in the final 14 minutes to lose 4-2 at Fiorentina, the first time they had four put past them under the 44-year-old. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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