Gatti on why he is ‘grateful’ to Juventus coach Allegri and ‘biggest error’ Yildiz could make

Juventus defender Federico Gatti is ‘grateful’ to Massimiliano Allegri and warns his teammate Kenan Yıldız to ‘not be satisfied’ and work hard to improve every day.

Gatti released an exclusive interview with Tuttosport newspaper on the eve of a derby against Torino.

Born in Rivoli, on the outskirts of Turin, the Italian centre-back could have joined the Granata two years ago, but the Bianconeri eventually outbid their city rivals to secure the ex-Frosinone defender’s signature.

Gatti has been given regular playing time this season and is therefore grateful to his coach Allegri.

“I’ve gained personality, which is given by playing time, experience and errors,” he said.

“One reason I am grateful to Allegri is that he gave me the chance to grow. It’s hard when you go on the sidelines after an error, but he’s given me playing time and this allowed me to become a better footballer. It’s normal to grow at Juventus, I learn something new every day. I must still improve in the build-up.”

Juventus beat Fiorentina 1-0 last week and will be looking for vital points in the race for the top four on Saturday.

“I get extra motivation when I hear the fans pushing,” said Gatti.

“One thing I must work on, and I often speak with Allegri about it, is how to handle energy. I spend so much that sometimes I feel breathless for a few minutes. However, it is better to have too much power than nothing at all.

“I was lucky enough to play and score in the reverse fixture. I experience the derby adrenaline more during the week than during the match when I focus only on what I must do.”

Most of Gatti’s family members support Torino, but the 25-year-old has noticed a slight change over the last few months.

“I am converting my family. My father has always supported Torino, but he feels closer to Juventus now,” he said.

“He often comes to the stadium, which I’d never have imagined.”

Who is the toughest opponent he’s faced during his time at Juventus?

“Surely, Mbappé last year, but there are many, including Leao and Osimhen,” Gatti replied.

“I’d say Dusan Vlahovic as well but we play together. A defender can make no errors. Strikers may miss two or three chances, but they fulfil the task if they score. A defender can make extraordinary interventions during the game, but you ruin the performance if you make an error.

“Like everyone here, Vlahovic is growing. Compared to last season, he is much more involved in games,” continued Gatti.

“Thanks to the games he played, he has improved a lot. Errors make you improve.”

Another exciting Juventus striker, Turkey international Yildiz, has emerged as one of the most promising players in the league, and Gatti had advice for him.

“He should not be satisfied, it would be the biggest error,” said the Italian defender.

“On the contrary, he must think about improving every day. He is only 18 and it’s clear that he has great quality. We trust him and he must be patient.”

How does Gatti justify Juventus’ poor results over the last few months, with just two wins since February?

“It’s hard to tell. It was a period when we missed something. We lacked a bit of experience, but now we have two targets, [qualify for the] Champions League and [win] Coppa Italia. We can’t miss out on them, surely. Now we must win the derby because with three points, we work better, and everything looks nicer.”

Gatti ended the interview by saying Inter‘s consistency “surprised” him and insisted that he was not thinking about Euro 2024.

“Surely, I still have hope, but I am only focused on Juventus now. Italy must be a consequence. Juventus come first,” he concluded.