Miralem Pjanic gave his first press conference as a Juventus player, discussing his time at Roma, his future at Juve and the players that inspired him.

Speaking to the gathered press, the Bosnian midfielder spoke about his first experiences at Juventus and the comparisions with Andrea Pirlo.

“There’s a good understanding with the Coach  for now,” Pjanic told reporters.

“We see each other every day, we talk, I’m getting to know him and little-by-little we’ll speak about my position. For now we’re here to work, to prepare well, and I’m trying to have the best pre-season possible to be ready for the start of the official competitions.

“Everything else, where I’ll play on the pitch, I discussed with the club and the Coach before my definitive transfer to Juve.

“I’ll be helpful because at Roma I was playing in a midfield three, I’m a player who isn’t afraid to have the ball at my feet and I like to play with the others.

“The Coach knows my attributes very well and he’ll put me in a position where he thinks I’ll be the most useful to the team.

“Pirlo is a great player, in all the years he was here he was the best midfielder in Serie A, so of course he’s an example. I won’t copy his game, I’ll do my best as the Coach asks me.

“Obviously we’re different, he was an incredible player, exceptional here at Juve but he played everywhere in the past.

“The club signed me because they think I’ll be very useful, so I’ll give my all to become even stronger and become a top player for this team. I’ll integrate as well as possible and prove my worth on the pitch.

“The comparison with Pirlo is nice obviously, but my game is maybe a little different. Pirlo was a very technical player though, very skilful with the ball at his feet, he did very well for the team.

“I think I can do just as well, and I hope to do it.

“I worked with a specialist in Juninho when I was at Lyon, but I’ve always said that every player has a different foot on free-kicks, with a different shooting technique.

“I have mine, and I’m improving. I’m trying to always be as dangerous as possible, sometimes deciding games because sometimes big games are decided by set pieces or free-kicks.

“I’ll try to do well, I’m always looking to improve but I know Juve have a lot of players who take them well. I want to be decisive like I’ve been for Roma over the last few years.”

 

Pjanic discussed the inevitable return to the capital and playing against former Roma teammates.

“I’ll be very happy to return to Stadio Olimpico. To find the incredible fans, to find my friends with whom I spent five wonderful years, to find people I worked with for five years. So I’ll be really happy.

“It’ll be a bit of a strange game for me, because I spent five wonderful years in that city and with that club, but from day one I’ll be focused on my new team, on my objectives and on the objectives that we’ve all set together.

“But of course I know I’ll probably be whistled, because it’s never easy to change teams. I’m happy today though, and I’ll be happy to be reunited with the Olimpico and with Roma.”

Pjanic was asked about pre-season preparations and first impressions after the first few days of training.

“I knew what the opponent was like, what the team is like and what the club is like from the outside.

“Now that I’m inside I’ve seen a lot of different things and I understand why it was always difficult to finish ahead of Juve with Roma.

“I’m here, I’m very happy and we’re working a lot, I understood that right away. I’m available to the team to do great things, to continue to win all the trophies that were already won last year and do even more.

“But there’s definitely a difference between where I was in the past and where I am today.

“The most important thing is to hold onto the trophies which were won last year.

“Of course the team, a club like Juve, always want to win everything. Any opponent we face, whether it’s in the Champions League, League or Coppa we’ll want to win.

“The objectives will always be the highest ones possible. The priority will obviously always be to bring the Scudetto home and write history.

“Six in a row would be a good thing, and I hope I can help Juve to hold on to the Scudetto.”

 

 

Mire went on to explain how he left things with his Roma teammates.

“Everyone congratulated me, everyone was disappointed and I received a lot of messages.

“Before I signed here I called Coach Spalletti and I sent a message to Totti, Daniele , the ones who have been there for so long to thank them for the five years and tell them the choice I’d made.

“A career isn’t long, I was at Roma for five years and I had wonderful years there, I’ll never forget it. Of course it wasn’t easy, because I had five wonderful years there and starting again anywhere wouldn’t be easy.

“The team was disappointed because I got on well with everyone in the dressing room, I had very good relations with everyone, not just the players at Trigoria but everyone at Roma.

“When I said I was changing teams after five years it obviously wasn’t a small thing. The players have complimented me, I’m going to a great club, a great team.

“Obviously they were disappointed that I wouldn’t be part of the Roma dressing room, but that of another team.

“I’ll always have so much respect for them, and they know it well. The messages I received from Totti and other players touched me, but football is like this, it goes on and now I’m very happy to be here.

“I hope to win a lot of things here because I’m at a great club with very good players that will help me to become even stronger and help me achieve what I’ve always wanted: winning trophies.

“I’m sure I chose the right club to do that. Juve didn’t just follow me now, they’re a club which works seriously and they were always interested in one way or another.

“Maybe it couldn’t have been done before, now it’s done and I’m very happy. For me there was no choice but to take a step forward in my career and this is definitely the club to do it.

“Differences with Roma? There is a difference, there’s been a difference since the first day I signed here.

“I got a lot of welcomes from the whole squad, I got a lot of messages from the start and they made me feel welcome and made me realise that I’m at a great club, with great men and great players.

“In addition to winning so much in recent years, the way they welcomed me made me realise that they’re a united team who are happy to have me here, that I can help and that they’re glad I came. That made me very happy.”

“After the tour of Australia I think I’ll move into my house, I already chose it during the holidays because it’s always easier to settle-in when you have a house.”

Finally, Pjanic talked about the likelihood of Gonzalo Higauin joining the club after he was linked with a move to Juve earlier in the day.

“If Juve were after a player like Higuain it wouldn’t surprise me, because Juve make sure those kind of players come here.

“They make sure they can win everything, every player wants to win trophies at this club. They work very well to make sure they win.

“Anyone coming here wouldn’t surprise me, I’ve seen that they’ll do everything to strengthen the team.

“The Juventus midfield is definitely strong, there are a lot of us and we’re all useful. We all have different characteristics, but the Coach will put the best midfield out to win games.

“There’s nothing to fear from competition, it’s part of our job, there are a lot of players and we’re available to the Coach.

“I’m here to help this team to do as well as possible, there aren’t just three or four of us in midfield, there are a lot of others so the Coach will decide who plays.

“I’ll make sure to do as well as possible, because I want to play, I want to be on the pitch because that’s where I feel the best.

“Then it’s always the pitch that decides who plays and who doesn’t.”

[Image from Juventus.com]