Mirko Vucinic admits “personally I’m hoping for a draw” when his former sides Juventus and Roma meet on Saturday.
This weekend sees a top-of-the-table clash and the Montenegrin knows both sides well, having spent five seasons at Stadio Olimpico and three in Turin.
“The differences between the clubs?” Vucinic pondered, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I can tell you they listen to the radio less in Turin than in Rome…
Mirko Vucinic admits “personally I’m hoping for a draw” when his former sides Juventus and Roma meet on Saturday.
This weekend sees a top-of-the-table clash and the Montenegrin knows both sides well, having spent five seasons at Stadio Olimpico and three in Turin.
“The differences between the clubs?” Vucinic pondered, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I can tell you they listen to the radio less in Turin than in Rome…
“Does that affect Roma players? No, sometimes we’d joke about it at Trigoria, that we heard them [disgruntled fans] on the radio on the way to training.
“It was nothing to lose sleep over, but in the end talk always finds its way to an ear and, maybe, it has an impact.
“In general you could say that the difference is the atmosphere and the habit of winning. It’s nothing new, often there’s too much pressure in Rome.
“It’s not an excuse for the players, but sometimes it weighs on you.
“Will that change? Sure, it’s only a matter of time. I also came close to winning things several times there, but in the end fell short.
“[Luciano] Spalletti could have found it now, I see a team that plays very well, they play the best football in Italy and even on television they’re beautiful to watch.
“Of course you mature and grow with age, but Spalletti has always been a great Coach, I don’t think you can criticise him for anything. Both my Roma and this one are teams of the highest level.”
Vucinic was then asked for the difference between his Juve and the current vintage.
“Now there are maybe more champions and more alternatives. The club has grown to a point where it’s difficult to challenge the leadership.
“You just have to think about the signings of [Miralem] Pjanic and [Gonzalo] Higuain, two phenomena. How can you criticise that?
“It was obvious that people like that would resolve matches.
“Roma’s dangermen? I have two more names, in the same roles as those Juve players: [Edin] Dzeko and [Radja] Nainggolan. For me that’s where the match is.
“Then a lot will depend on the ability of the Juventus defence, which is always strong, to resist the Giallorossi. Personally I’m hoping for a draw so the League will still be open and everyone will be entertained.”
The striker was then quizzed about the differences between the respective dressing rooms.
“At Juve the leaders are always the same, starting from [Gianluigi] Buffon,” Vucinic explained.
“I’m not surprised that they’re still the best. It’s not true though, that the Roma dressing room is different or more flaky, the responsibilities are divided.
“After [Francesco] Totti always comes [Daniele] De Rossi, and not just him.”
Roma are looking to emulate the Old Lady in building their own stadium, would that make a difference?
“All the difference in the world. When I first went onto the pitch at Juventus Stadium, it was the first time I felt a jolt. If Roma had their own stadium, they’d have many, many more points in the League.
“At least a dozen. Indeed, they might have got the Scudetto.”