Bremer expects four-horse Scudetto, tips Juventus duo to play key role | OneFootball

Juventus defender Gleison Bremer is enchanted by his return to the pitch after a long injury nightmare, as he tackled several topics in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 28-year-old missed the bulk of the previous campaign after suffering an ACL injury during a Champions League match against RB Leipzig in October.

He was finally back in action on Saturday, starting for Igor Tudor’s side in the friendly contest against Reggiana, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Gleison Bremer recalls his darkest moment

The Brazilian revealed what was the most difficult phase of his recovery, while vowing to return stronger than before.

“The worst was the beginning, when the surgeon told me I’d have to be out for nine months, not six or seven like most ACL tears,” explained the Juventus stalwart.

“Unfortunately, mine wasn’t a normal ACL, but now I’m fine and looking forward. I’ll get back to my normal form.

“My return was a wonderful feeling after so many months of work and sacrifice; I felt at ease. Obviously, I’m still lacking something physically, but I’m on the right track.

“I felt a little scared at the first few tackles, but I think that’s normal, then everything went smoothly: when you don’t think about it, things get better. Now, my goal is to play the next three friendlies to regain my best condition.

“I’ll be back stronger, because when you’re out for so many months, you start to look at things differently, not just as a player. The new Bremer will be more aggressive and will always leave 100% on the pitch.”

Bremer also thanked everyone at Juventus for their support during his darkest hour, and is particularly grateful to Giorgio Chiellini.

“I must thank everyone at Juventus, the medical staff, my personal physiotherapist, my wife and my family. These have been tough months mentally.

“I’ve also talked to Chiellini, who had an injury like mine a few years ago. I’ve always spoken a lot with Giorgio, even when he wasn’t a club director yet, and now having him here by my side is very important not only for me but for the whole team.”

The Scudetto race & Juventus stalwarts

On a separate note, the defender envisions a four-horse race for the Scudetto between his Juventus, reigning champions Napoli, perennial contenders Inter, and a revitalised Milan side under Max Allegri.

“I see a battle between the usual four: Napoli are the favorites because they won the last Scudetto and have strengthened their position on the transfer market, while Inter remain a very good team.

“And then there’s Milan, who have Allegri and only play in Serie A. And obviously there’s also Juventus.”

Bremer also tipped his teammates Kenan Yildiz and Federico Gatti to take their game to a whole new level and play an instrumental role for Juventus this season.

“I’m convinced we’ll get back to being top-notch soon, we all think so, and I’ll tell you why: Yildiz is a different player than last year; he’s improved.

“Yildiz dribbles like a Brazilian. Yes, Kenan is a bit like our Lamine Yamal, all of us in the team have to give him the conditions to perform at his best.”

“And Gatti has become a leader. The foundations are good,” concluded the Brazil international.