Following a disastrous defeat to top-four rivals AC Milan, Pirlo made it clear where he stands on his Juventus future.
Andrea Pirlo won’t resign as Juventus manager and will continue for ‘as long as I am allowed to’.
The rookie coach’s campaign in Turin dugout suffered yet another blow in a 3-0 home defeat to former club AC Milan, leaving Juventus outside the top-four in Serie A in fifth-place.
With only three games left before the season ends, the Bianconeri’s fate is out of their hands. They must win all their remaining matches and hope the teams above them – Atalanta, AC Milan, and Napoli – slip up.
If not, Europa League football awaits for the 36-time Italian champions in 2021/22.
Juventus managers…
– 11/12: Conte – 1st
– 12/13: Conte – 1st
– 13/14: Conte – 1st
– 14/15: Allegri – 1st
– 15/16: Allegri – 1st
– 16/17: Allegri – 1st
– 17/18: Allegri – 1st
– 18/19: Allegri – 1st
– 19/20: Sarri – 1st
– 20/21: Pirlo is 5th with three games to play… 🙄 pic.twitter.com/PKMax0Jrah— The Sack Race (@thesackrace) May 9, 2021
But while doubts on his future grow stronger with each passing week, Pirlo isn’t going anywhere.
“Resign? No, I won’t step aside,” he told Sky Sport Italia.
“I took this role with a great deal of enthusiasm amid certain difficulties. I am at the disposal of the club, there are still three games to go, so I will continue doing my work as long as I am allowed to.”
From being dethroned as Serie A champions after nine seasons, suffering a last-16 Champions League exit, to possibly finishing outside the top-four, Juventus have been very poor this term.
Although they did win the Suppercoppa Italiana and have a Coppa Italia final with Atalanta coming up on May 19.
Similar to his predecessor, Maurizio Sarri, from last season, Pirlo has also struggled to get the players to adapt to his tactics.
“I had a different project in my mind and thought I would have a different group at my disposal,” said the 41-year-old.
“I had been working on some concepts, but then I had to make changes in order to suit their characteristics and had to adapt.
“It’s not that this team is resistant to change, but if you have some things in your mind and they become more difficult with certain players. If I cannot get the best out of these players, that is my fault, and I certainly need to do better.
“If something didn’t go right, I take responsibility. This squad is made up of great players.
“Clearly something did not work.”
Pirlo will be out for redemption in Juventus’ trip to Sassuolo on Wednesday.
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