Slow Start At The Beginning Season, Now Pirlo Wants Juve All Out To Reach Coppa Italia Final

Andrea Pirlo (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo says his team must win at all costs when they face arch-rivals Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final on Tuesday local time.

The Italian champions have a slim advantage after beating Inter 2-1 in the first leg in Milan last week thanks to two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Pirlo's team continued that victory by smothering AS Roma 2-0 in Saturday's Serie A clash, extending their streak of winning to six games in all competitions ahead of this fateful Coppa league.

"We have to play like Juve that we showed in the last few games," Pirlo told Juventus TV as quoted by Antara from Reuters.

"It is the second round of this big game that will give us the opportunity to reach the final. This is an objective which we must achieve by all means."

"This will be a match, a difficult battle. But we are ready to face it," continued Pirlo.

Juventus started the season sluggishly during Pirlo's first stint in charge, but their recent progress has made the Turin club soar to third in the table or five points behind second-placed Inter with one game more saved.

"We will enter the arena there with equal behavior," said Pirlo.

"We started from 0-0, we can't keep thinking about winning in the first leg. It's like the final, so we have to have the attitude of an aggressive team that knows what it wants. We need to focus; the goal is too important to set aside."