‘We did not receive direct offer from Barcelona’

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Juventus director Beppe Marotta trusts Max Allegri made the right decisions against Barcelona and denies a bid for Paulo Dybala.

It kicks off at Camp Nou at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), follow the build-up and action from this game and Roma-Atletico Madrid on the LIVEBLOG.

“I think the Coach knows better than anyone what the various players are doing, so if he has decided to start Rodrigo Bentancur, it means he is certain it’s a good idea,” Marotta told Mediaset Premium.

“Juan Cuadrado is suspended and we have quite a few injuries, so we’ve got two Primavera kids on the bench. That doesn’t mean we’re already beaten, as in these circumstances each player has to bring out something extra and motivation can be very important.

“The Bentancur debut might be unexpected, but I see him in training every day and don’t forget he came to Juventus with plenty of experience at Boca Juniors.

“The sensations are positive. The team is just as strong as last season, maybe even more in terms of quality. The Champions League is a tournament and not a League, so it’s all about reaching the key games in the best condition.

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“We start tonight with a bit of a handicap due to absentees, but have time to recover in the group stage. The important thing is that this side and Coach can go far.”

Marotta was also asked about reports that Barcelona made a late massive offer for Dybala on transfer deadline day.

“We did not receive any direct offer from Barcelona for Dybala, but above all we had absolutely no intention of selling him and were certain he’d wear the Juventus jersey. We even gave him more responsibility with the Number 10, a shirt that holds a great deal of importance in the tradition of Juventus.”

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