Juve director pleased with Old Lady’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina.
Juventus director Pavel Nedved says he has never seen a goal like Alessandro Matri’s as the striker scored without a boot to help the Old Lady to a 2-0 win over Fiorentina in Turin.
The 28-year-old striker netted just before half time and replays showed his boot had slipped off in the build up to the goal.
“In my career, I’ve never seen someone score a goal without shoes,” Juventus legend Nedved is quoted as saying by Soccerway.
Mirko Vucinic had given Juve the lead before Matri’s bizarre second and the win left Antonio Conte’s side five points clear at the top of the Serie A as second place Napoli drew 1-1 with Lazio in Rome.
“We are very satisfied with how the team approached the match,” said Nedved.
“Fiorentina play a great style of football, they have a more than capable coach and a dangerous team. But today we really wanted the three points and played well to get them.
“It was a great test of character and everyone worked towards the same goal. In January, we had a slight dip in form but you can’t be at the top of your game over the course of a whole season.”
Nedved stressed that Juve were ready for this week’s Champions League clash with Celtic and the former Czech Republic international was in no doubt about the atmosphere that awaits the Italians at Celtic Park.
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“Now we’re in form and ready for Europe. I’m fully aware of the atmosphere that awaits us in Glasgow because I’ve been there and experienced it firsthand.
“We’ll be stepping into a lion’s den and I don’t think the team will need geeing up. We’ll have to tough it out, but we have shown that we’re ready.”
Meanwhile, Matri was similarly bemused with his fortuitous strike.
“My boot fell off just before the goal, as someone had trodden on the back of my foot, so I scored in my socks. Well, it turned out to be for the best,” he said.
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