Morgan De Sanctis has criticised Juventus” data-scaytid=”3″>Juventus for how they have handled Week 6’s win over Roma, saying they would be better off admitting they were lucky.
Morgan De Sanctis has criticised Juventus for how they have handled Week 6’s win over Roma, saying they would be better off admitting they were lucky.
The Bianconeri ran out 3-2 winners in the last round of League action against the Giallorossi, with most of the discussion since dominated by the split between the two clubs over the decisions of referee Gianluca Rocchi.
UEFA President Michel Platini looked this week to put the controversy to one side, but De Sanctis is not convinced.
“He has too narrow a view, he was only a Juventus player,” the 37-year-old has responded to the Gazzetta dello Sport today.
“I hope he used irony, as he has said he did not watch the game. But as UEFA President it is not appropriate for him to talk about it.
“I am just saying that the winners had to tone it down and instead it was the opposite. I say that what we are discussing is not negative. Football thrives on controversy and drama.
“With 20 years of football behind him, Totti has done well to speak after the match. You have to know how to lose, but it is hard to accept certain decisions because you have the feeling of having not played on an equal footing.
“And Buffon would say you also need to know how to lose? Gigi and I are old and perhaps we are losing our memory.
“Then in his career he has had many more successes than disappointments. The players of Juve are wrong to feel persecuted. They are equal to the others and behave in the same way. The only difference is that in Italy they win often.
“How do they say it in Turin? ‘Winning is not important, it is the only thing that counts’. They should add: ‘And we do not care how’.
“I do not speak of theft, I mean that they should admit they were lucky and not hide behind the argument of the siege. I can teach Gigi how to lose, but one day I hope to also be able to teach him how to win.
“It is absurd that four-five Juventus players should go protest to Rocchi, who is very good. It is a situation developed for use in moments of indecision.”
De Sanctis was asked what he thought in 1997-98 when Juventus won the League in part thanks to controversy over Ronaldo not being awarded a last day penalty for Inter.
“That psychological slavery exists. At Udinese” data-scaytid=”33″>Udinese I had to accept that things will not always occur but that they do not surprise you. At Napoli and Roma this has occurred less.
“Juve need to make a general assessment – all that they have won in Italian football is not proportional to what they have won abroad. And that is something that makes you think…”
The goalkeeper, who also backed the introduction of video replays to assist ‘the most difficult job’ of the referee, also reflected on the remainder of the season.
“The Scudetto will be won by the strongest and Juve and us are the strongest, but in Turin we proved to be better than them.
“For the Champions League we will do everything possible, but the race is to the title.
“Look, I do not want to finish second, but to win. We can do it, and we understand that from their reactions.”