Versatile Gonzalez Happy to Play Out of Position at Juventus

Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Napoli - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 21, 2024 Juventus' Nicolas Gonzalez reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo
Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Napoli - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 21, 2024 Juventus' Nicolas Gonzalez reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo
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Versatile Gonzalez Happy to Play Out of Position at Juventus

Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Napoli - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 21, 2024 Juventus' Nicolas Gonzalez reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo
Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Napoli - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 21, 2024 Juventus' Nicolas Gonzalez reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo

Nicolas Gonzalez is happy to play out of position for Juventus, the Argentina international said after scoring his second goal within a week in Sunday's 2-1 win at Monza, following a two-month absence due to muscular problems.

Coach Thiago Motta's strategy of playing Gonzalez, usually a winger, behind striker Dusan Vlahovic in the first half paid off as Juventus struck twice before the break to clinch their first win in five Serie A matches.

"To help the team, I can also play as goalkeeper ... I also let the coach know that," Gonzalez told DAZN after netting the winner, Reuters reported.

Motta praised the versatility of Gonzalez and Juve's other goalscorer Weston McKennie, saying it was a pleasure for a coach to work with players with the right attitude.

Juventus, sixth in the table, host fifth-placed Fiorentina next Sunday.



New Southampton Manager Juric Promises High-Intensity ‘Death Metal’ Style

Football - Premier League - Fulham v Southampton - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 New Southampton manager Ivan Juric before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Southampton - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 New Southampton manager Ivan Juric before the match. (Reuters)
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New Southampton Manager Juric Promises High-Intensity ‘Death Metal’ Style

Football - Premier League - Fulham v Southampton - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 New Southampton manager Ivan Juric before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Southampton - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 New Southampton manager Ivan Juric before the match. (Reuters)

Ivan Juric said he will try to implement a high-intensity brand of football at Southampton as he bids to guide the Premier League strugglers out of the relegation zone.

The former Croatia midfielder, who was appointed on an 18-month contract on Saturday, was previously in charge of AS Roma but was dismissed in November after only 12 matches in charge.

"When I was young, I liked death metal music a lot, and that's something I think my style of football is like," Juric told reporters on Monday.

"Work hard, press hard, play good, be intense, all this stuff. I think (the players) can do it. They are young, they are positive, they want to work hard. It's not easy to change the style immediately, but we have to be clever."

Bottom of the league with six points from 17 matches, Southampton are winless in their last seven league games and sit eight points adrift of safety.

"I know it will be a very tough job and I know that in the history nobody has stayed in the Premier League from this situation," the 49-year-old said, adding that he thought the side can do "something exceptional".

Juric's first game in charge is on Thursday when Southampton host West Ham United.