On the eve of Udinese–Juventus, Francisco Conceição spoke in his pre-match press conference about the team’s mentality, the importance of unity, and his ambitions for the remainder of the season.
The Portuguese winger underlined the collective strength within the dressing room: “The unity we have is the basis of everything. Without it, things become difficult. We’ve shown our togetherness many times already, and from that spirit come the wins we still need to achieve our goals.”
Working to Improve
Conceição explained that Juventus are making full use of the recent weeks to refine their game under Luciano Spalletti’s direction. “During the week we work on every aspect — individually and as a team. We’ve had a bit more time to focus on the details that the coach wants us to improve. We’re playing very well, but we know we have the potential to do even better.”
The 22‑year‑old added that the team’s technical quality is an advantage they must harness more consistently: “We’ve got so many talented players. We try to do what the manager asks, and in the next matches we must turn that into victories to reach our objective.”
The Test Against Udinese
Looking ahead to tonight’s opponents, Conceição warned that Udinese will pose a stern challenge: “We know they’re strong, especially at home. They’re very physical and have a lot of quality up front. It’ll be a tough game, but we’re going there with the ambition to win and continue on our path.”
Thoughts on Bernardo Silva and Vlahović
Asked about reports linking Bernardo Silva with a move to Turin, Conceição smiled: “I know Bernardo very well — he’s an outstanding player. I haven’t spoken to him about it, and I don’t know if Juve want to sign him. But if he did ask me, I’d tell him it’s a great club where you come to win.”
He also provided an update on Dusan Vlahović’s recovery: “When everyone’s fit, the team is stronger. Dusan is a very important player for us. He’s getting better after his injury, and we hope he’ll be back at his best soon.”
Adapting to Spalletti and Coping with Criticism
Conceição praised Spalletti’s influence since taking charge: “The coach has brought so much to us. We play good football and aim to dominate games. The team looks happy on the pitch, and we create plenty of chances — now we just need to be more clinical.”
As for the scrutiny that comes with wearing the Juventus shirt, he showed maturity: “Criticism makes me grow. At Juve, it’s normal; you have to live well with it. I try to improve every day, to help the team not only with goals and assists but also defensively. Sometimes the work that isn’t visible is just as important.”
Aiming High
Conceição made his ambitions clear when asked about qualification for next season’s Champions League: “I only care that Juventus are there. We’ve got the quality to be among the top sides, and that’s where we belong. We just need to keep working and winning.”
Finally, he expressed confidence in his team’s potential: “Compared to sides like Como and Roma, I believe we’re stronger. We’ve shown that recently — now we must find the consistency to prove we deserve to be at the top.”
