Max Allegri is fired up for his first Derby della Mole. Juventus” data-scaytid=”3″>“Juventus are not automatically favourites and Torino will give us a battle.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Max Allegri is fired up for his first Derby della Mole. “Juventus are not automatically favourites and Torino will give us a battle.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“Giampiero Ventura has always had excellent results and last season was remarkable,” said the Juve Coach in his Press conference.
“Torino are very organised on the field with some talented players. The derby is always an important game. When the referee blows the whistle it starts from 0-0 and we are not automatically favourites.
“We’re encountering a team that played very well against Club Brugge on Thursday and will give us a battle. It will not be easy for us. Derbies are famously one-off games separated from the rest of the season.
“I am not afraid of Torino, but we do respect them. The derby is an important occasion for the city and the fans. It must be a good game of football, as I want to see a real sporting battle.”
There was some bad news, as Kwadwo Asamoah will bring forward knee surgery to correct a long-standing issue.
“I think Asamoah will be out for three months, but we need to evaluate his progress. Right now we are not thinking about the transfer market, but if necessary the club will work in January.”
Since switching to four at the back, Juventus have been unstoppable with four consecutive victories, scoring 15 goals and conceding only two between Serie A and the Champions League.
“I think the team had good results beforehand too,” insisted Allegri. “Now we are playing with a new system and maybe there’s a little more concentration precisely because the team doesn’t know it as well.
“When you have players of such quality, it is easier to change things around. We are in good form at the moment, but need balance. I want to see even more focus tomorrow. We are just at the start, Roma are only three points behind us and everything is still up for grabs.
“Torino haven’t scored in the derby since 2000? That should prompt us to be even more concentrated to keep that going.”
Patrice Evra returns after injury, but Allegri defended Arturo Vidal from criticism.
“People seem to think Vidal fails if he doesn’t score, even when playing in a wider role. Even when he doesn’t score, he is still working for the team. He needs more playing time at the moment to regain fitness.”
The Coach also made an appeal to the fans ahead of this hotly-contested local derby.
“There needs to be a healthy sporting rivalry, not just in this game, but in every football match. I hope every fan comes to the stadium knowing they need to be fair.”