Conte: 'I'm committed to Juve'

Antonio Conte believes the Scudetto race is still very open, that tomorrow they’ll face “Real Catania” and assures he is staying with Juventus despite foreign interest.

The Coach sat down for his Press conference this morning and was not resting on his laurels. Click here for a Juventus-Catania match preview.

“The Serie A race is still very open. The fact we and hopefully also Milan are in the Champions League quarter-finals can further encourage those chasing us in Serie A. Many of them deep down believe in a comeback,” said Conte.

“Now Milan are eight points behind us, though we still have to play this weekend and there is the head-to-head still to come.

“Last season when everyone said we had an advantage in not playing in Europe, I replied I’d have preferred to be tired if it meant being in the Champions League. It’s true cup competitions take away precious energy, but they increase confidence, belief and awareness of our own capabilities.

“Tomorrow we are taking on ‘Real Catania.’ We’ve got to face this game with the right attitude, because they are the revelation of the season. I hope the stadium will be packed to cheer us on and also celebrate our passage into the Champions League quarter-finals.

“Dropping points at this stage of the season could be lethal, so we have to be on our game.”

Conte has been repeatedly linked with some of the biggest jobs in European football, such as Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG.

“There is absolutely no chance of me leaving Juventus at the end of the season,” he declared. “It’s very pleasing to hear big European clubs appreciate you, but the praise is there for the players and Juventus overall.

“This means we are all working well together and should be proud. I am very much in sync with the President, directors Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici. As long as this harmony exists, there will be no problem.

“Do I feel ready for a big European club? I am already at a big European club,” he replied to journalists.

“We have just started this journey that is proceeding in stages, understanding the huge economic difficulties in Italy at the moment.

“Last year the President had faith in a Coach who had only earned two promotions from Serie B. I will always be grateful to him for that. We need to keep our feet on the ground, as the more I hear media talk of winning the Champions League and dominating the Scudetto race, I ask how long has it been since Juve finished seventh for two years in a row?

“We do not have huge economic resources, so our growth will be slower and there’s no point talking about objectives that are beyond our reach. In Europe, the economic gap with the bigger clubs is insurmountable.

“I just hope the enthusiasm of last year doesn’t dissipate quickly, as people must not forget the extraordinary work. If success is considered routine, then it’s a big problem and would change many things.”