Lippi: Juve weren't 'lucky'

By Football Italia staff

Marcello Lippi has claimed that Juventus’ Champions League exit was down to luck. “They didn’t have big players available...”

Lippi remains the last Juve Coach to win the Champions League after the Old Lady lost to Ajax in the quarter-finals, that success coming all the way back in 1996.

“Juve gave me my first great international satisfaction,” he told Rai Radio.

“The year before, we won the League and Coppa Italia. Then we won the Champions League and the following year we lifted the Intercontinental Cup.

“Great players are needed to win the Champions League and then a great sense of belonging is needed, the desire to make yourself available to someone else.

“My lads did that, and in fact they went on top of the world. This season they didn’t have the good fortune of having big players available at decisive moments.

“Chiellini to Juventus, for example, is almost as important as Ronaldo and he wasn’t there against Ajax.

“If I could play another game again, it would be Juve-Milan. The Final we lost on penalties left such a bitter taste in our mouths.”

Max Allegri’s position has come back under the spotlight following the Bianconeri’s elimination from European competition...

“Whoever wins things always has great quality,” maintained the 71-year-old.

“Winning is never easy. And I’m referring to Allegri. Many criticise him on the grounds that his teams don’t play good football, but his teams play to win and they always win.”

Finally, the former Italy CT revealed who was the best player he had ever coached.

“I hope no-one will get offended if I say Zinedine Zidane,” he concluded.

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