Dybala: 'Juve free kick pact'

By Football Italia staff

Paulo Dybala described his Champions League hat-trick, still learning at Juventus, tactical discussions with Max Allegri and the free kick “pact.”

He saw down for a lengthy interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport and you can read the rest of it here.

La Joya made his first Champions League appearance of the season and immediately scored a hat-trick against Young Boys, including a spectacular volley.

“In some situations, you only have an instant to think. When I saw the defender was going to miss the ball, I chose to go with the inside of the boot, because you have more control, otherwise it could go anywhere.

“I also saw there was no time to take a touch, as the goalkeeper could’ve run out, so I tried to resolve it quickly.”

There is a queue for free kicks at Juventus now, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Dybala and Miralem Pjanic all eager. So how do they decide?

“Last year, Mire and I had a pact: if it was towards the left side, he would take it, whereas on the right it would be me. When Ronaldo arrived, I wrote to Pjanic in our chatroom: ‘Sorry Mire, but I think you won’t be taking many free kicks this year…’

“All joking aside, we know how it works: on the left there’s Cristiano, we just stand there to make a good photograph. On penalties it’s a clear hierarchy: first Ronaldo, then me, and then Pjanic.”

It has been said Dybala struggles to fit into the same line-up as Cristiano Ronaldo, but he has other ideas.

“Allegri gives me the freedom to move. Depending on who my teammates are at the time, he asks me to stay more open, tighter or to connect the team together.

“I exchange ideas with Allegri, so based on the characteristics of the opposition, we figure out where we can find more spaces. In general, the difficulties of last season and the injury problems helped me to mature.

“I learned so much at Juventus, for example how to talk to players before a game. Gigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini, Dani Alves and many others on international duty were great teachers, but then you need the character to make yourself heard. Right now, I just have to continue learning. Buffon was a good confidante, now there’s Chiello.

“It is a great responsibility wearing the Number 10 jersey, because you set the example for children and the whole world is watching. When I am not playing, I don’t think about the number and would never have requested the 10. When the club proposed it to me, I didn’t take 10 minutes to decide.

“I knew what I was going into, that at the second bad game I’d be criticised. I wouldn’t change anything.”

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