We’ve finally reached the end of the season. Sunday night’s season finale game against relegation-threatened Venezia comes with an uncertainty [Juventus](https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com) fans haven’t seen in a few years, and one that reflects the tumultuous 2024-25 campaign they’ve had. From Thiago Motta to Igor Tudor, Juventus have had an eventful and lackluster season that sees their position in next year’s Champions League contingent on the result in Venice.
Juventus sit just one point ahead of fifth-place Roma and two ahead of Lazio in sixth, with either ready to usurp the Bianconeri if they draw or lose Sunday night’s game.
Tudor rightly, and perhaps painfully obviously, pointed out was “crucial,” he sat down to discuss tactics, mentality, and provide an injury update.
Above all, the Croatian coach began by congratulating Napoli for their recent victory, in which they narrowly beat Inter to the Scudetto.
“First of all I would like to congratulate Napoli on winning the Scudetto,” Tudor said. “They have been good all year. Over the course of a league season, the team that most deserves it always wins.”
Looking forward to the match ahead, Tudor spoke about the difficulty of playing a team like Venezia, and how his squad should approach the game.
“Looking instead towards the match that awaits us against Venezia, tomorrow we will need head and heart, as always,” Tudor said. “We will have to sweat until the end, using both our head and heart. On the one hand we know the importance of the match, on the other hand we have prepared for it like all the others, focusing only on the work we do on the pitch. It will be crucial to stay focused from the opening whistle to the final whistle, we will have to maintain our concentration throughout.”
Despite the game being “crucial,” Tudor suggested that facing Venezia is simply the conclusion of a longer string of important games.
“Since I arrived here, all the matches have been crucial,” Tudor said. “So it will not only be tomorrow’s game against Venezia that will be important. We have to take the last step, but we have taken many others beforehand on our journey up to this point.”
Given that Tudor’s situation at the club remains uncertain, considering that his role as coach is contingent upon whether he achieves Champions League football, he reflected on his brief yet fruitful time at the club. Tudor spoke about how his squad, and his relationship with it, has grown.
“I’ve seen the lads focused and developing,” Tudor said. “From the first day I arrived I saw great willingness on the part of everyone and I also noticed an important development in how we interpreted different match situations. This team has a lot of quality, but also depth. If you lack depth, you don’t win games. You also need balance, you have to find the right mix of players with different characteristics, who work together best to benefit the team.
“I’m happy with the work done so far because the responses I’ve had from the team have been good. I have tried to teach the values I believe in to the players and to those around me. I feel a mixture of emotions: above all I’m focused and I can’t wait for this match to start.”
Finally, Tudor provided an injury update, claiming that despite injury scares, Renato Veiga, Weston McKennie, and Teun Koopmeiners may make appearances in Sunday’s season finale, while Federico Gatti has been called up but likely won’t be in the starting lineup once again.
“Veiga and McKennie had some problems during the week, but they trained with us (Saturday),” Tudo said. “Koopmeiners also worked with us this morning. Gatti’s condition is the same as in recent weeks, he is continuing to work on returning to full fitness. In addition, we will have (Khephren) Thuram and (Nicolo) Savona available again, both of whom were suspended against Udinese.”