QPR are still odds-on to win the Championship despite their 3-1 defeat to Watford on Friday

Juventus director general Beppe Moratta defended coach Luigi Del Neri after the coach criticised goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Del Neri recently told reporters that Buffon, who has been with the Bianconeri for nine years, is no longer indispensible to the club.

The Italy stopper has not yet played under Del Neri as he has been injured, and his relationship with his manager is reportedly under strain because of Buffon’s lack of regular visits to the club’s training round and his non-attendance at a club photo-call in Switzerland earlier this year.

Buffon has regularly dismissed reports that he is planning to leave Juve for the Premier League, but his agent Silvana Martina admitted that Del Neri’s recent criticism left him hurt.

“It was a wretched interview,” Martina told Controcampo. “I didn’t expect it was from a decent person like Del Neri. There was a lack of respect towards Buffon. If I were Juventus’ president, I would have fined Del Neri.”

However Juve chief Marotta moved swiftly to explain Del Neri’s comments and reject reports that the player is looking for a transfer.

“Buffon is our player,” Marotta said. “There is the utmost respect for him. What Del Neri wanted to say is that the coach is the manager of the group and that it’s up to him to make the decisions.”

QPR are still odds-on to win the Championship despite their 3-1 defeat to Watford on Friday

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