SPEAKING WITH THE ENEMY – JUVENTUS
In this new feature we set a few questions to an opposition fan to hear their opinions on a forthcoming match. Ahead of our Champions League game against Juventus tomorrow, we speak to Lars Aabjerg Pedersen
It’s still early in the season, but how do you think Juventus are looking?
So far Juve have been impressive, winning the first four games of the season by at least a two-goal margin. That said, the opposition (apart from Napoli in the Super Cup) has not been terrifying.
Which Juventus player should Chelsea be worried about?
Andrea Pirlo is by far the most influential player in the team, and leaving him space often proves lethal. Would beware of the flanks as well, though
If you could choose any Chelsea player to join Juve who would it be?
Eden Hazard. That’s not even a debate!
Have the various match fixing scandals in Italian football in recent years tarnished the game and your support for Juve in particular?
In Italy, very few things – bar the Juventus jerseys – are black and white. Italian football is and has been flawed at the level of the “system” for a long time. Juve have paid for this so much more than others, sadly, but I’m not under the illusion that all is just a conspiracy. As for my support, if anything it has increased over these last six difficult years. Like most football supporters will attest; when your club is in trouble, you stand up for it.
What did you make of Chelsea’s Champions League triumph last season?
Chelsea won. End of. They did so not by being flashy, but by being solid, and I have nothing but respect for that. That said, Chelsea is probably not “the best team in Europe”, but that is another discussion entirely…
How do you think Juve will do in this season’s Champions League?
Hard to say. I am very optimistic, as the team has been very good for a long time now. However, having been out of Europe last year and out of the CL for the last three seasons, it’s very hard to predict how we will fare against top international competition. We will know more about that Wednesday night!
What’s your opinion of Massimo Cerrara?
Carrera is very much a straw-man for Antonio Conte on the bench. It is his role to do exactly as he’s been told and what he thinks Conte would have done in any given situation. He has done so to perfection thus far.
If you could choose Juve’s next manager who would it be?
I don’t see us parting company with Conte anytime soon, and I can say truthfully that there is no manager I would like better than him.
If you could buy any player in the world for Juve, who would you choose and why?
I would buy Edinson Cavani, as he would fit Conte’s tactics of hard work and pressing perfectly while still scoring plenty of goals. A dream signing.
Who is your favourite Juve player of all time?
Our recently departed Captain, Alesandro Del Piero, has made an impression so deep over the past 19 years at this club that you would be hard pressed to find a Juventino not citing him as his/her all time favorite, including myself, obviously.
How do you predict Juve will approach tomorrow’s game?
In principle, Conte’s Juve is all about possession and dominating the opposition, however I think we may well have a more cautious approach at the bridge, especially given Chelsea’s strength and pace on the counter attack.
And finally, what is your score prediction?
1-2: This is a very open game for me. It has the potential to be either spectacular or cagey, depending on the tactics planned and their execution. Both teams could win it, but the conservative punt is a 1-1 draw.
Lars Aabjerg Pedersen is co-founder of the English language Juventus site Juventiknows.com [1] – read his in-depth preview on Wednesday’s match HERE [2]
Posted by Trizia
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