Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli is feeling ‘emotional’ to face his old club Napoli, explains the differences between the clubs and notes they will ‘wait’ for Paul Pogba’s doping ban appeal.
It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 19.45 GMT.
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
The Bianconeri sit second in the Serie A standings just one defeat this season, 4-2 to Sassuolo, and won six of the last seven.
This is a very special match for Giuntoli, who was the director of sport at Napoli when they won the Scudetto last term and left, confessing he was a lifelong Juventus supporter.
“There is certainly strong emotion, seeing lads who shared eight years of my life, it is a pleasure and very emotional to see them again,” Giuntoli told DAZN.
“This is also a professional growth process. When you think that you have given your all, it is time to try another challenge at a club like Juventus. Obviously, that love and having a father who supported Juve also helped.”
Giuntoli already saw Napoli stars Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen this week at the Gran Gala del Calcio, which is the Italian version of the Players’ Association Awards.
“We just said hello. This is life, I am very happy to be at Juventus, so I am focused on my present and future, which is at Juventus.”
After eight years of Napoli, how has Giuntoli noticed the differences between his old club and working at Juve?
“Juventus is certainly a club known all over the world, so there is a stronger media spotlight. We professionals have to focus on the present, that is what we are doing and I am very pleased.”
Max Allegri sees Federico Chiesa as a striker, so does Giuntoli agree that he is more suited to this position than a winger?
“To be honest, Federico can easily play as a support striker or a winger. He has great technique and can shoot for goal. The coach is using him first on the left, so we are a little lopsided, as we defend almost with a 4-4-2 formation. Federico is in good shape, I think he can happily express himself in either role.
“We work well both in possession and without it, we try to win the ball back quickly, press high and in my view are improving a great deal. Obviously, it’s early days, we have to keep our feet on the ground, take it one game at a time and look towards fourth place. That is what makes this an important match, as Napoli are in fourth place, so we are up against a direct rival for position.”
There was inevitably a question on Pogba, as this week the request came in from the prosecutor to impose a four-year ban for failing a doping test.
“We are waiting for the final level of the ruling before discussing it with his entourage. We will wait.”
That could take some time, as there are several levels of appeal that Pogba can go through, so this suggests any contract termination will not be imminent.