Ivan Juric admits Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini ‘taught me everything,’ but Verona can’t follow their example without investing in players and creating 'a project.'
It kicks off on Saturday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
If these two teams play similar football, it’s no coincidence, as Juric was Gasperini’s player at Genoa and then assistant manager.
Ivan Juric admits Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini ‘taught me everything,’ but Verona can’t follow their example without investing in players and creating 'a project.'
It kicks off on Saturday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
If these two teams play similar football, it’s no coincidence, as Juric was Gasperini’s player at Genoa and then assistant manager.
“Gasperini taught me everything and has taken Atalanta to a fantastic level,” said Juric in his press conference.
“I heard some shameful comments from pundits after the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, but he showed them by going to Anfield and winning 2-0, with the same exact system as in the first game. They really are a beast of a team.
“We don’t have the conditions at Verona to think we can follow Atalanta’s footsteps, nor can we really think of doing better than last season, because it’s not easy to replace that many players in one go.
“If I have to give Gasp credit for something, it’s that he made sure the best players remained, he only let go those who could be replaced.”
Juric has repeatedly criticised the Hellas Verona owners for selling most of his squad and again warned it was making his job much more difficult.
“I wanted to start a real project here and it didn’t happen. It’s not too late, because I am really happy here and we improved so much on an organisational level. I would love for players to be ours and not just on loan, then we can talk about a project and building for the future. Otherwise it’ll be another year of trying to avoid relegation.”
Among the players who moved on from Verona loans there’s Matteo Pessina, who is likely to start for Atalanta tomorrow.
“We gave Matteo and also Marash Kumbulla a sense of confidence, of knowing their capabilities. Atalanta benefited from the loan deal, as they got back practically free of charge a player who had gained a great deal of experience. I am happy for Matteo, he was very close to me in terms of mentality.”
Verona were frustrated after last week’s 2-0 home defeat to Sassuolo, as they rattled the woodwork four times.
Midweek, they were again irritated at a last-gasp Coppa Italia exit to Cagliari, after Eddie Salcedo’s goal was controversially disallowed.
“Strangely, those were our best performances of the season so far and we lost both of them.”
Juric was also asked about his memories of Diego Armando Maradona and admits it is a complicated legacy.
“He was my first idol. My feelings are inexplicable, really. His loss makes me cry, yet he did not set a great example as a human being, but the emotions he gave me were utterly unique. Nobody else has done that. The news of his passing feels raw, as if losing a brother, or a father.”
Had Juric ever thought about what it would be like to coach Maradona?
“There’s no point, as there can never be another. Actually, with Gasp we were watching Lionel Messi at Barcelona. The way Pep Guardiola structured everything in one way, then the ball came to Messi. It was not anarchy, it was organisation around him.
“Perhaps that is why Messi didn’t do as well for Argentina. Or perhaps it’s just that he’s not Maradona.”