Barzagli: Juventus success built on defence

Mar 5, 2013 5:10:00 PM

The Italy centre-back believes the work of the whole side on the defensive side of their game has helped them become one of the best sides in Europe over the past few years

Juventus' Andrea Barzagli believes the club's current success is built on their defensive ability as they prepare to face Celtic in the Champions League.

The Serie A leaders are 3-0 up on their Scottish visitors ahead of the second leg in Turin, and the 31-year-old centre-back believes the whole team's defensive work has been the catalyst for them to perform well in recent years.

"The basis of our defence is organisation. We have been working hard even in the few days we've had [since the Napoli match]," Barzagli told reporters.

"There is a great harmony in this group. The midfielders and attackers also give us defenders a big hand.

"We are a compact team that works hard. We have a solid foundation and we hope that continues to be the case."

The former Palermo defender has been at the heart of Antonio Conte's defence since the start of the season, but he refused to speculate as to if this was his best campaign to date.

"It is difficult for me to say if this has been my best season or not. Of course, the important thing is continuity," Barzagli added.

"I am part of a solid defence that has been doing some great things for the past 18 months now."

Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached!
Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET!

play

open

Live!

Champions League final - LIVE!

German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

5:53 PM BST

Just a reminder that our Champions League quiz is still going on over on Twitter, so there's still time to get involved. Another cracking question from quizmaster Chris Myson:

In this year's competition, five Barcelona players have completed more passes than anyone else - name them!

5:50 PM BST

The whole sporting world is watching tonight. Indeed, not even the glitz and glamour on offer in Monte Carlo will get in the way of F1 driver Nico Rosberg watching the Champions League final. His mother might, though! Clad in a Bayern jersey with his name on the back, Rosberg was interviewed by Sky Sport Germany earlier and explained that his sole focus at the moment is finding somewhere to watch the game, given his Dortmund-supporting mother is threatening to disown him. "I might have trouble getting into the house!" he admitted.

5:42 PM BST

Right, just over two hours to go until kick-off, so let's check in with our man Jay Jaffa, who says the atmosphere is already building at Wembley.

"Jurgen Klopp said in his pre-match press conference that were he to never make another Champions League final, he could die happy knowing that he took a team to the home of football - Wembley.

"And I can tell you as I look at the sea of yellow, black and red that fans of both sides feel similar - there are hordes of Dortmund and Bayern supporters already congregating around the national stadium, eagerly lapping up some late afternoon sun."

5:38 PM BST

It is this increasingly bitter rivalry between Bayern and Dortmund that almost guarantees fireworks at Wembley tonight, according to Bayern defender Dante, who spoke exclusively with Goal earlier this week.

5:34 PM BST

The aforementioned Gotze deal, and the way in which it was leaked to the press on the eve of Dortmund’s Champions League semi-final, first-leg clash with Madrid, has only intensified the antipathy between the two clubs, while, as you can see from the photo below, the man at the centre of the transfer has inevitably been caught in the crossfire. This is all nothing new, of course. Bayern may have loaned a cash-strapped Dortmund money a decade ago but the pair have been locked in a vicious – but entertaining – war of words in the wake of die Schwarzgelben’s subsequent re-emergence as a major force, and Daniel Buse and Enis Koylu have catalogued the best quotes here.

Inside Goal.Com

Champions League Final Preview: Dortmund - Bayern
Jurgen Klopp's side will be eager for vengeance after watching their Bundesliga title slip into the hands of the Bavarian giants this term
The Dossier: Stop Martinez, stop Bayern
With the Mario Gotze missing through injury, Marco Reus will be charged with the task of stopping Javi Martinez from dictating proceedings in the middle of the park
'Mario, you will never redeem yourself'
Mario Gotze's injury means the playmaker has now played his final game for Borussia Dortmund. In an open letter, a fan tells of his emotion at his controversial switch to Bayern
BVB's rise from the abyss to European contenders
BVB have recovered from teetering on the edge of bankruptcy to take their place on Europe's grandest stage, humbling their opponents on Saturday, Bayern Munich, along the way
Top 10 all-time Champions League scorers
As the competition moves within days of its much-anticipated conclusion at Wembley, Goal profiles the most prolific players in its history