Non-preview ahead of a tricky game today, traveling to play a team battling relegation is never too fun or easy. Juventus.com has you informed, you can also get a little more preview by checking the end segment of our last podcast where we discuss Brescia. Game starts in 1h30min from this post, see you there!
If there is one thing with regards to which there can be no doubt is that Del Neri’s team has a strong and determined character and that its will to win and continue on the good path undertaken is lead-strong. Following the victory on Sunday against Cesena and the great comeback by the bianconeri, the match tonight in Brescia will be another important test of will and determination for Juventus who once agan have to deal with a long list of injured players. The victory on Sunday saw Del Neri’s team climb up to the 4th place in the table, just one point from current champions Inter and another victory will be more than just a strong dose of confidence in their abilities. On the other hand, Brescia are going through a very positive period and will definitely present a tough bridge to cross for the bianconeri.
So good to see him in another shirt.
The current position of Brescia in Championship classification, with 10 points accrued almost in equal measures between home matches and away ones (6 and 4), is born from quite an unusual trend, made of constant evolution consecutive games. After the debut turn, on which the Rondinelle paid duty on Serie A return match, loosing with Parma 2-0, Iachini’s team got 3 victories in a row against high profile opponents: 3-2 with Palermo at Rigamonti, 1-0 over Chievo in Verona and 2-1 vs. Roma at home, on a match full of controversies for referee direction. Subsequently, the Lombard went toward an absolutely negative sequence, without collecting even a point in 5 matches. 2-1 in Bari, 1-0 with Lazio at the Olimpico Stadium, 0-1 at home vs. Udinese, 2-1 in Lecce and another 0-1 at home with Napoli: all narrow defeats, which put Brescia in rear positions.
But the value of this newly promoted team has emerged in San Siro last Saturday: during second half, a quite generous penalty allowed Eto’o to draw the goal Caracciolo scored after only 14 minutes. There is a curious fact to be underlined: Brescia expresses his offensive potential most of all during first half: so far, 89% of goals has been scored before half time, particularly concentrated in the central part of the match’s first fraction.
Del Neri: «Brescia, an important match»
On Championship’s midweek turn, valid for Serie A tenth match, the bianconeri will be going to Brescia (Wednesday 10 November at 8.45 p.m.), an absolutely respectable opponent, coming from a draw with Inter in Milano. Conversely, on Saturday evening, Juventus will host Roma. When the journalists ask Gigi Del Neri if he will be taking account of both matches in choosing ranks, the bianconero trainer answers: «Absolutely not, tomorrow match is as much as important as the one vs. Roma, maybe more, it’s an important step on our path».
They speak also of the rank («Chiellini, let’s see how he feels, Amauri and Traoré won’t be there, we hope we’ll recover them for next Saturday, Del Piero is playing, Bonucci will be on the pitch with a bandage on his hand following to a home accident»), and of single elements, from Del Piero, that today is celebrating his birthday, to Quagliarella, from Amauri to Grosso and Salihamidzic. «Del Piero is an important reference point. On his birthday I wish him to keep this energy and this enthusiasm, that make him play at very high levels. Amauri, I’m going to use him when he will feel physically at best, because he played also when he didn’t, he sacrificed a lot and he met many criticisms, I do not want to pillory the players anymore. Quagliarella found the right ambience for his characteristics, as soon as he found his best physical condition, and we saw his greatly eccentric technical skills. Grosso and Salihamidzic are very motivated. Grosso, Sunday, made a respectable performance and Salihamidzic, when he went on the pitch, showed verve and emotional intensity to lend us a hand».
Lastly, he is asked how he feels when he hears speaking of Juve in a certain way and being in the top positions: «I did not look at classifications when we started, I’m not looking at it now. We must be balanced in all we do. Nothing has changed in our behavior, we still have to improve. Sunday, for example, we suffered on the pitch, but we were able to bring home important points»
Players who traveled to face Brescia:
2 Motta
3 Chiellini
5 Sissoko
6 Grosso
7 Salihamidzic
8 Marchisio
9 Iaquinta
10 Del Piero
14 Aquilani
18 Quagliarella
19 Bonucci
20 Lanzafame
23 Pepe
30 Storari
31 Costantino
35 Buchel
36 Giandonato
39 Camilleri
41 Giannetti
43 Sorensen
44 Kirev
46 Liviero