After scoring a goal in the first matchday of the Europa League group stage, helping Juventus to a 5-0 home victory over NEC, Nico González was interviewed by several media outlets in the mixed zone.

Nico, tonight was a night of many "firsts" for many of your teammates, but not for you, since you've already broken your goal drought in your second spell with the Bianconeri. However, this Nico returning to Juventus seems different. It looked like you were going to leave, but then you stayed, and you've remained with the team, as we see now...

Yes, I'm calm and happy. That's also thanks to the coach and the team, who gave me the confidence that everyone sometimes needs. I lost that confidence in my first year, but that's normal; it's part of football. This is me, I'm taking advantage of it, and it's what I love to do: prove my worth on the pitch and score goals, and I hope it continues like this.

Can we say that leaving for a while and then coming back was good for you? Can we put it that way?

Yes, you could say that, I don't know, that's for you to say. For me, my job is to play football, and as I said before, the pitch is where I show myself, where I love to play, and I'm making the most of it all.

Nico, but now you really seem like more of a leader within the team. Spalletti never substitutes you, and he says that whatever he asks you to do, you'll do it 100%. Is this leadership quality something you've always had within you and are now showing more, or did your experience at Atlético also contribute to it?

Well, now I'm 28 years old, and in life people grow, mature, and learn. But I'm a guy who always gives 100% effort. I proved that in my first year, even though things didn't go as well, which can happen—that situation can indeed arise—but it's fine. Today, I'm like this, I'm happy, content, calm, and I'm happy for my teammates and this victory.

Nico, it seems this team really needs your war cry and contagious energy, as well as the leadership quality my colleague mentioned, especially to guide these young players—like guys like Alaibegovic. You can see the fire burning in them, because this is a team with many young talents, and you can be a model and reference for many of them...

Yes, yes, I try to help them, because they're very young, not just him, but other players too who came from the youth team, or even younger players. But that's normal, it's part of football, and it's part of life. I'm happy, I'm glad Juventus has these players, because they're really strong.

Nico, what are your personal goals for this season? How far can this team go?

Prove my abilities and help the team. Whether I get playing time or not, that's up to the coach, and as I said before, I'll only give 100% effort, both on and off the pitch.

What kind of Juventus do you see? Because people always talk about what's missing, what the transfer market could have brought, and how it's different from when you were at Juventus last time. What kind of team is Juventus now? How high can their ambitions take the team?

In my opinion, football changes, teams change, everything changes. Today's team is stronger, and in my opinion, it's a more united team. You can see it internally: you can see how everyone is willing to give everything for one another. It's a feeling of joy; this energy of being willing to give everything for your brother can be transmitted to everyone.

Tonight was a perfect night for the attackers, very different from the previous match. Can you tell me what wasn't working in the previous matches? And what have you been constantly improving?

Well, we've been working hard. Football is like that: sometimes you win, sometimes you draw, sometimes you lose. But we trained a lot this week, working together as a team with unity and positivity, and that's what matters most in the end. We must maintain positivity and then prove it on the pitch.

The league resumes on Sunday, Atalanta is coming, it's an important test...

Yes, yes, every match is important. Nowadays, you don't win just by relying on the prestige of the shirt; what really matters is performance on the pitch.

Nico, that was a great moment: in my opinion, you were instrumental in helping Weissmann score his first goal for Juventus. Did you voluntarily want him to take that penalty?

Yes, yes, I was originally the one who would take the penalty, but we needed the strikers to regain their form and confidence, whether it was him or Kolo Muani. In my opinion, it was a gift for them, to give them some energy and confidence, because we need them.

Traduzido por IA.

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