JUVENTUS, Marotta: "Conte is our leader"

© foto di Daniele Buffa/Image Sport

Giuseppe Marotta has reiterated the club’s support for Antonio Conte in light of today’s verdicts issued by the FIGC.

The club director, who addressed the media on the eve of the Bianconeri’s Super Cup clash with Napoli, hopes the subsequent appeal will prove Conte’s innocence and insists the team will still be able to rely on their leader in spite of his absence from the touchline.

But before passing comment on the former club captain, Marotta expressed his delight at the acquittals of Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe.

“It’s a bittersweet moment for us,” Marotta began. “We’re happy for Bonucci and Pepe as their acquittal represents the end of a nightmare as far as they’re concerned. I accompanied them to the hearing in Rome and saw they were confused at being caught up in an environment that had nothing to do with their profession or with the boyhood dreams they had subsequently achieved. We’d like to thank Luigi Chiappero and Maria Turco, who did well in leading their defence.”

As the discussion turned to Conte, Marotta outlined the club’s determination to fight the ten-month touchline ban imposed by the authorities.

“We’re convinced of his non involvement in the events that are being contested, also in light of the legal proceedings and the professionalism he’s always displayed. There are a further two steps of appeal, we’re already working on them and hope his innocence will subsequently emerge.”

“Antonio was the main man behind our Scudetto victory and, considering the fact that the role of a modern manager is based around leading a group, we’re convinced that the work he conducts during the week will still be fundamental. The game will be a bit like an exam for a student, who would have to study several days before in order to pass.”

Replacing Conte on the bench will be first-team coach Massimo Carrera, a man who needs no introduction to the Bianconeri faithful after his successful five-year stint with the club between 1991 and 1996.

“Antonio, who is fully behind Massimo Carrera’s new role, is suffering but has also found another hurdle to overcome. We’ve never thought about a change, just as Antonio has never considered resigning. He’s in charge of a group that’s recognised him as a leader, but there are great champions at Juventus and we’re convinced they’ll manage to compensate for his absence.”