After a dramatic 1-1 draw between Lazio and Juventus, Juventus manager Igor Tudor spoke to DAZN, sharing his thoughts on the match, the red card incident involving Pierre Kalulu, and the potential of his squad moving forward.
On the Match and the Team’s Effort
“It was a good game. I’m sorry, but we’ll take this point. The boys gave everything, including the substitutes, considering all the injury problems we’ve had. We move forward,” Tudor said, reflecting on a challenging evening where his team had to dig deep.
He also recounted a lighthearted moment during the post-match celebrations: “He celebrated, he hit me,” Tudor joked, referencing the accidental knock he received from Renato Veiga during the team’s reaction to their hard-fought point.
On Kalulu’s Red Card
Addressing the sending off of Pierre Kalulu, Tudor expressed both disappointment and understanding: “I’m sorry, it’s two games now where we’ve had players sent off. I saw the images, the gesture was there, but I don’t know if he actually hit him in the face or not. It was a moment of naivety. He’s a good guy, he’s sorry, but I repeat, he’s a really good person and a wonderful surprise, with great values. It’s a shame, now we’ll see what happens-maybe he’ll only get one match.”
On Gatti and Tactical Choices
Tudor praised Federico Gatti, who made a late appearance after recovering from injury: “I have to compliment Gatti. He’s coming back from a fracture and has barely trained with the team. We thought we’d bring him on for five to seven minutes at most. He gritted his teeth and came on for his height. I took off two players and immediately apologized, it doesn’t happen often and I don’t like doing it, but we needed the height and experience. It was a particular choice for the team, but I’d do it again because I think it was the right one. We move forward.”
On Nico Gonzalez and the Squad’s Depth
Tudor also discussed Nico Gonzalez’s performance and the physical toll on the team: “I saw him tired, a bit struggling physically. He’s important for us. Chico, on the other hand, showed personality, I liked him a lot, he moved well.”
On the Team’s Potential
When asked how Juventus would look with a fully fit squad, Tudor was optimistic: “That’s a good question. There are moments in the season that change a lot. I can’t comment on what could happen if we had a full preseason or finished without these problems. The team is strong, it has values, and with two or three more pieces next year, it can become a team of the highest level. Even now, it’s strong.”
