Juventus coach Thiago Motta insisted he doesn’t need to work on his players’ ‘head’ as their Champions League defeat against Stuttgart is ‘in the past’ and they are ready to play ‘at 200%’ against Inter.
The Bianconeri meet Simone Inzaghi’s side in the Derby d’Italia at the San Siro on Sunday and Motta believes that his team will need ‘focus and courage’ to play against one of the ‘favourites’ for the Serie A title as he spoke at a pre-match press conference.
The Old Lady’s manager faces many absences for this crucial fixture, as Douglas Luiz recently joined the likes of Theun Koopmeiners, Bremer and Nico Gonzalez on the treatment table, and he admits he could consider moving Kenan Yildiz behind lone striker Dusan Vlahovic to boost Juventus’ offensive potential.
“There’s no need to work on the head, the lads feel good,” Motta said in a press conference ahead of Juventus-Inter.
“It’s right that the expectations are very high for a historic team like us, we suffered our first defeat in the season.
“But you do the same when you win, you move on. There’s no time to celebrate. Now we leave the past behind, Stuttgart is in the past, and we go to play against Inter.
“It’s a great football atmosphere to live, we go there to play our game.
“We are convinced of our football, of our idea. Inter is our next game, a big one to play, to live, always at our best.
“Like every time, we go on the pitch to play at 200%. There’s no game in which we do otherwise. Then you win or lose, but always trying to get the best possible result.”
Motta was among Inter treble winners in 2010 and will return to San Siro as manager of one of the Nerazzurri’s archrivals.
“I played for Inter, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Genoa and PSG, where I tried to do the right things without any personal interest or hiding something, both as a sports professional and a person,” Motta added.
“I was always myself, for better or for worse. I always behaved well with people, so wherever I go as a former player they treat me well. And I think these people, for how they welcome me and for helping me throughout my career and my life.
“When one behaves in the right way…”
Inter finished 23 points above Juventus last season, and although they’re currently within touching distance in the Serie A table, Motta insists there’s still a gap separating the two sides.
“It’s a fact. It’s objective to say that Inter and Napoli are the favourites for the Serie A title,” the Bianconeri manager claimed.
“Tomorrow we must face Inter with courage and determination.
“They are a team that plays really good football, they created problems for many sides on the counter-attack.
“They’re a very dangerous side, they regroup quickly, when they get attacked they have a good defensive phase and are also very fast up front, we need to be careful.”
Juventus won’t recover any of their injured players for the San Siro fixture, and Motta also commented on Mattia Perin’s chances to keep his place in goal and Kenan Yildiz’s moment of form, suggesting he could play as a trequartista behind Vlahovic.
“He could play there, why not,” the Italo-Brazilian manager said.
“Yildiz is feeling good, he needs to improve in every aspect of the game, like everyone else,” Motta pointed out to Sky Sport Italia.
“He has to be connected to the team in every moment, starting from the defensive phase. He’s a youngster but already a great player that we must use in the best way, both as a winger and as a midfielder.
“But I’m sure that great players can play well everywhere.
“Yes, Perin could also play tomorrow.”
