Juventus interested for Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez

Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta is not ruling out a summer move for Alexis Sanchez, but acknowledged the Barcelona forward would prove costly.

Italian champions Juventus have been strongly linked with a bid to sign Sanchez, who left Serie A to join Barcelona from Udinese three years ago.

Reports have claimed that Juve have a €20million (£16.3m) deal lined up for the Chile international, but it is dependent upon Antonio Conte remaining as coach.

Conte's future is still be finalised, while Liverpool are also reported to have shown an interest in Sanchez, who opened the scoring in Saturday's title decider against Atletico Madrid.

Marotta appeared to suggest that Juventus would welcome the chance to sign Sanchez, but no decisions on player recruitment will be made until Conte's future is resolved.

"Sanchez is a great player and every top club would like him, so clearly Juventus would also love to have him," Marotta told Sky Italia.

"We must take into account he is also a very expensive player and it must also be seen what he wants.

"Juve are always linked with a lot of players. At the moment, we are waiting to define the situation with the coach, then we will try to look for flexible players."

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Torricelli: Juventus will eliminate Fiorentina

Moreno Torricelli thinks Juventus will prove to be too strong for Fiorentina in their Europa League round-of-16 tie.

The 44-year-old wore the Juve jersey between 1992 and 1998 before spending four years at the Tuscans, and while he expects a "fascinating" encounter between the Serie A rivals, he is confident the reigning Italian champions will emerge victorious.

"I think that Juventus will progress. I can see them win at home and then draw or get a small defeat in the return," Torricelli told Goal.

"I expect a tough match, though. There's a huge rivalry between these two teams and the tie will be even more fascinating because it's a European game.

"Juventus are the better team in my opinion. Their squad is very complete and they have a lot of quality, while they also have an entertaining style of play.

"Fiorentina on the other hand have not really been fulfilling the high expectations, also because Giuseppe Rossi and Mario Gomez got injured."

While he admits the Europa League might not be as high profile as the Champions League, Torricelli feels is is the perfect opportunity for Italian football to climb the Uefa coefficient ranking and earn back a fourth spot for European club football's elite competition.

"Of course, the Champions League has a bigger reputation and more appeal, but the Europa League is a tough competition as well.

"The presence of the teams that came in from the Champions League enriches the competition. You have to be of the highest level if you want to win it.

"Italy must win places in the Uefa ranking in order to re-gain the fourth Champions League spot and playing in a European competition is always very motivating."

The first leg of the Europa League tie between Juventus and Fiorentina is scheduled to take place in Turin on Thursday.

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Ancelotti: Madrid don't need Vidal

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that his side do not need to sign Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal.

The Chilean has been linked with a variety of clubs after leading the Bianconeri to two straight Serie A titles, most recently the Liga leaders and their arch rivals Barcelona.

However, Ancelotti has denied that Juve director Beppe Marotta came to visit Madrid's training centre to thrash out a deal for the former Bayer Leverkusen man.

"He came to see the sports centre," he told La Stampa.

"In midfield we won't take anyone. We don't need anyone and [Sami] Khedira will return."

The Italian also voiced his admiration for Paris Saint-Germain star Marco Verratti, but says that too much should not be expected of the youngster.

"He doesn't miss anything. He has personality and isn't afraid, but he shouldn't play because he is young. At Madrid, I have Jese, who is a phenomenon, but we have many champions."

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Tevez: Serie A the most difficult league

Juventus attacker Carlos Tevez feels that Serie A is the most difficult league on a tactical level he has ever played in.

The 30-year-old has a wealth of experience in various divisions across the world, having played for Boca Juniors, Corinthians, West Ham, Man United and Manchester City prior to joining the Bianconeri last summer.

And while Serie A no longer attracts the biggest names in world football as it did during the 1990s and much of the early-2000s, Tevez believes tactically the league is unrivalled.

"Of all the championships in which I have played, the Italian league is definitely the most difficult and tactical," he told the club's official website.

Tevez then went on to stress that he's not surprised by Juventus' fine run of form in Serie A this term.

"We all know that we have the potential on and off the field. We are a strong team and we are very hard to be beat when we play together.

"Juventus are a great club. You realise how big Juve are when you see how all the teams are desperate to beat us."

Tevez has netted 15 goals in 26 Serie A appearances since joining the club from City in the summer of 2013.

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Montolivo: Milan deserved more against Juventus

Riccardo Montolivo feels AC Milan deserved at least a draw in Sunday's Serie A encounter against Juventus and has urged his team-mates to show more of the same in the weeks to come, regardless of their 2-0 loss against the reigning champions.

Clarence Seedorf's charges applied themselves well in the first half at San Siro and saw the likes of Kaka, Montolivo and Andrea Poli come close to breaking the deadlock, but Juventus dealt a hammer blow to the hosts shortly before half-time when Fernando Llorente tapped home and the visitors cemented their position on 68 minutes with a stunning strike from Carlos Tevez.

Nevertheless, Montolivo felt Milan were unfortunate to lose the game and believes that the players can take pride in the way they acquitted themselves against the defending champions.

"It's disappointing to talk about the loss after such a good performance," he told the club's official website.

"We deserved to take the lead in the first half and we went in at half-time a goal down. It's very tough but we have to keep on this road that we're on with this attitude and this desire to play the game.

"We need continuity and that's what we're looking for. If we don't win then it's obvious we have to improve.

"I think that in the big games the performances have always been there. We have to improve in certain situations where Juve punished us but today we showed good intensity and balance.

"We dropped a bit in the second half but it's tough to talk about a loss when we deserved a different result."

The setback leaves Milan in 10th position in Serie A with 35 points, 17 adrift of a Champions League spot.

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Conte: Osvaldo accepted pay-cut to join Juventus

Antonio Conte has revealed that Pablo Osvaldo accepted a significant pay-cut to secure his move from Southampton to Juventus.

The Italy international joined Juve on loan until the end of the season on deadline day of the transfer window, after a training ground bust-up with Jose Fonte saw the club suspend him for two weeks.

And Conte has now revealed the full extent of Osvaldo's desire to move to Turin and is hoping the Italy international will bring variety to his attacking options.

"We grabbed an opportunity to sign him," Conte told Sky Sport Italia.

"The player really wanted to come to Juventus and actually significantly reduced his demands to secure the move.

"He’ll improve the quality of our attack and offer important competition to those already here."

The 28-year-old had only joined Southampton from Roma at the start of the 2013-14 campaign, but scored just three times in 13 league appearances.

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Arsenal ready to fight Juventus for €14m French winger

French newspaper La Parisien have suggested that Arsenal are keen on bringing Paris Saint Germain winger-cum-forward Jeremy Menez to the the Emirates and are willing to fight Juventus for his services.

Serie A giants Juventus were heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old, but it seems they could face a tough competition from the North London club.

Menez joined PSG in 2011, but has struggled to create a big impression, and this season, he has played a peripheral role only, managing five games thus far.

The Gunners have yet to sign any player in the winter transfer window though Arsene Wenger insisted they would only go for a top quality player, available in the market. Arsenal are also linked with a move for Schalke’s Julian Draxler but it seems like a deal in January is highly unlikely.

The league leaders are in desperate need of a quality striker, but Wenger feels that the club won’t get their first choice striker targets in January, hence the focus could shifted elsewhere.

Though it is clear how much the French giants could ask for Menez, but a bid around €14m would be enough to prise him away.

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Juventus consider Osvaldo swoop

Juventus are considering a January swoop for Southampton striker Dani Osvaldo.

The former Roma star is looking likely to leave St Mary's before the winter window shuts in just over three days' time after he was involved in a training ground incident that reportedly involved him attacking team-mate Jose Fonte.

Osvaldo was subsequently suspended by the Premier League club for two weeks with manager Mauricio Pochettino conceding that he "doesn't know" if the 28-year-old will still be part of his squad at the start of February.

Serie A leaders Juve are interested in taking the controversial forward back to Italy, initially on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.

Any potential move for Osvaldo is likely to hinge on the immediate future of Mirko Vucinic, however, with the Montenegro international keen to leave Turin having struggled for regular playing time under Antonio Conte.

Juve are keen to resurrect the mooted swap deal for Inter midfielder Fredy Guarin after talks had broken down following a backlash from furious Nerazzurri fans who do not want to see one of the club's prized assets depart.

Goal understands a meeting has been scheduled to renegotiate the deal, with a potential Vucinic exit clearing the path for Osvaldo to make the move to the Turin giants.

Conte's Juve currently sit at the top of the Serie A table and have been drawn against Trabzonspor in the last 32 of the Europa League, a competition Osvaldo would be eligible to feature in.

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Arsenal eye loan deal for Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic

Arsenal are hoping to persuade Juventus to allow them to take striker Mirko Vucinic on loan until the end of the season to strengthen their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Arsène Wenger’s side stayed top of the table on Saturday as Santi Cazorla’s two goals gave them a 2-0 victory against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger, though, is acutely aware that his striking options are limited. It is understood that Juventus are prepared to allow Vucinic to leave in this transfer window but only if they can agree a permanent deal for the 30-year-old Montenegrin forward. Juventus have quoted a fee of £8.2 million in talks with Arsenal chief transfer negotiator Dick Law. Arsenal would prefer not to agree a permanent deal but talks are ongoing.

Vucinic is keen to leave and would like to join Arsenal after the arrival of Carlos Tévez and Fernando Llorente, who have forged an impressive partnership at the Italian club. Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with a loan move for Vucinic.

Wenger on Saturday night that he was not “especially interested” in Vucinic when asked whether Arsenal were planning to meet the player’s agent this weekend. “We are looking at potential possibilities for us to get somebody in.” On whether a meeting was planned, he said: “Some people have visual capacities that I don’t have.” He added: “We are not on any special case. I would love to announce you something special.”

Wenger is keen to strengthen his strike force with Arsenal overly reliant on Olivier Giroud, particularly now that injuries have ruled out Nicklas Bendtner in the short term and Theo Walcott for the rest of the season.

However, he would prefer to make a more permanent move for his main targets, which include Porto’s Jackson Martínez, in the summer and secure a loan deal for the rest of the campaign.

Porto are insistent that they will not allow Martínez to go in this window and Arsenal have been given a similar response from German club Schalke over their highly rated 20-year-old attacking midfielder Julian Draxler, who has a £37 million buy-out clause in his contract. Real Madrid have also resisted attempts from Arsenal to bring in Spain under-21 striker Álvaro Morata.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Andries Jonker, the assistant manager of German club Wolfsburg, is the favourite to succeed Liam Brady, who is stepping down as head of Arsenal’s youth academy.

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Talks ongoing – Arsenal still interested in €12m Juventus striker

Arsenal manager finally insisted he is looking to bolstering the squad but hasn’t found the right type of player yet. Nicklas Bendtner and Yaya Sanogo both will resume training next week, but Wenger insisted he is still in the market for a striker.

Mirko Vucinic Juventus 2013 2916398 Talks ongoing   Arsenal still interested in €12m Juventus striker

Wenger understands that he will not be able to get permanent moves for the first choice targets in January, hence is looking for loan moves only.

Arsenal were linked with a move for Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic. The Old Lady are willing to sell the Montenegro international, but are not interested to loan him, while luring Julian Draxler at the moment is not possible too.

According to The Mirror, Wenger has claimed that he is not especially interested” in Vucinic, but Italian website TMW are claiming that talks are going on between both the parties.

According to the reports, there was a meeting on Friday between the player’s agent, Alessandro Lucci, and Arsenal over a possible move for Vucinic.

As we reported earlier, Arsenal are thought to be interested in getting the 30-year-old on loan, but the Bianconeri are demanding €12m for the striker. The player’s agent will be in London today to hold further talks.

Vucinic has made only four league starts this season and has dropped down the pecking orders at the club behind Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente.

He would be more than willing to join a club like Arsenal as he would be targeting few games under his belt. The Gunners are also rumoured to be interested in Juventus striker Giovinvo but the player’s agent has ruled out such possibilities.

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Juventus target Manchester United duo

Serie A leaders Juventus have been linked with a move for Manchester United duo Nani and Patrice Evra.

Italian newspaper TuttoSport have claimed that the United pair are both on the Juventus radar for the summer, with the ‘Old Lady’ looking to take advantage of the potential squad overhaul at Old Trafford.

Evra, who has long been linked with an exit in the summer, looks set to leave when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

According to the TuttoSport report, the 32-year-old Frenchman will not renew his contract in Manchester for family reasons, and has already rejected the club’s opening offer.

Juve are also tracking Portuguese wide-man Nani, who has frustrated the United faithful for many years.

Possessing of obvious talent and skill, the 27-year-old often flatters to deceive, drifting in and out of games, and often struggles for consistency.

Juventus see real potential in the player however, and are willing to take a gamble on the explosive wide-man.

United look set to continue their squad reshuffle this summer, having already sanctioned the sale of Anderson to Fiorentina.

The Brazilian completed a medical in Italy yesterday, and moves to Serie A on loan for the rest of the season.

Along with Nani and Evra, the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, and Shinji Kagawa have also been linked with moves away recently, with the summer shaping up to be a particularly important one for the club.

What do you think? Should Moyes lose both Nani and Evra? Let US know in the comments below…

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Juventus could go for Luis Suarez if Pogba departs

Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport reports the Serie A Champions Juventus will target the likes of Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema or Diego Costa, should they lose star midfielder Paul Pogba.

Juventus like any other top clubs have no intentions of selling their star midfielder Pogba, but they would be helpless, if mega-rich clubs like PSG puts a handsome offer on the table. The Bianconeri are not only hoping to keep the 20-year-old with them, as he has established as one of the best young midfielders in the world at the moment, but the Italian giants are also planning a contract extension as well.

Gazzetta reports that Juventus director Beppe Marotta is not only planning to extend the contract of Pogba and Pirlo, but is also plotting a counter-plan, should the Frenchman leave the club.

In that case, the club will make heavy investment in the strike department. They want another world class striker like Carlos Tevez and have lined up few options – top of that list is Liverpool’s Luis Suarez.

Reds fans will remember that Juventus have been monitoring Suarez for couple of years now and even tried to lure him in the past, but with no effect. But, Juventus fear that Suarez could cost around 85m Euros, as he has recently signed a new long-term contract, while meeting his weekly wages could be a hindrance as well.

Alternatively, they have lined up Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa and Bayern Munich’s Mario Mandzukic, should they fail to lure Suarez from Merseyside.

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Arsenal make contact with Giovinco, but could he replace Walcott?

Arsene Wenger may be set to offset the loss of Theo Walcott by signing Juventus attacker Sebastian Giovinco, after it was revealed that the Gunners had made contact with the player’s agent.

The diminutive playmaker has spent his entire career at the ‘Old Lady’, bar a couple of loan moves, having come through the youth ranks in Turin.

Able to play across the forward line, he is known for his dribbling skills and delicate link-up play. With an electric turn of pace and great balance, Giovinco also has an eye for the spectacular.

Still only 26-years-old, the Italian has been primarily used as an impact sub this season, and could benefit from a move away to enhance his credentials in light of the impending World Cup this summer.

Noted Italian football journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed that contact has been made between the two parties, and the consensus is that Arsenal are desperate to find a replacement for the injured Walcott.

Wenger admitted this week that he may have to dip into the January window after losing his England winger,

“[Walcott's injury] has accelerated speculation first and of course my desire as well,” Wenger told the club’s official website.

“Up front we lose Theo as a potential central forward and that’s maybe where we have to look outside, but we hopefully have [Nicklas] Bendtner back in three weeks. We are there for the opportunities but it’s very difficult at the moment.”

Theo Walcott is one of the fastest, most direct wingers around, and he will be hard to replace. But Arsenal have not primarily relied upon out-and-out wingers this season, with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey the key operators in Arsene Wenger’s table-topping side.

Giovinco is able to play out wide, but could be utilised alongside Santi Cazorla or Mesut Ozil just behind the striker in a formation Arsenal have used to great effect this season.

The Italian, nicknamed ‘Atom Ant’ due to his size and agility, has not been the most consistent of late, but Wenger may relish the prospect of working with a player so attuned to the style of football being played at the club.

The Metro have claimed a short term loan deal for Giovinco is in the pipeline, and with the player currently stuck on the bench at Juve, and Arsenal’s need for a vibrant attacker to fill a troubling void, this could be an excellent deal for the Gunners if it materialises.

What do you think? Would Giovinco be a good signing? Let us know in the comments below…

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Manchester United launch £20m bid for Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio

MANCHESTER UNITED have made a £20m offer for Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio, who has also been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Reports in Italy suggest that the Red Devils have approached the Turin giants about the availability of Marchisio and are willing to part with £20m to bring the 27-year-old to Old Trafford.

United are keen to add an extra midfielder in January in a bid to halt their faltering form and the experienced Italian international fits the bill.

Juventus were knocked out of the Champions League in December and reports suggested that Marchisio might be sacrificed to help offset the resulting financial shortfall, estimated at £17m.

Marchisio is reportedly surplus to requirements at Juve with Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal considered the midfield of the future by the Italian club.

However, despite concerns about how a lack of playing time might affect his World Cup chances, Marchisio is on record as saying he wants to stay at Juve where he has spent the entirety of his career after coming through the youth ranks.


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Arsenal: Juventus join chase for Spanish striker

Juventus are reportedly lining up a summer bid for young Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The talented 21-year-old is a highly rated prospect at the Bernabeu, but faces a great deal of competition for places with so many world class attacking players at the club already.

The likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur had been linked with loan moves for the player, though manager Carlo Ancelotti ruled out the possibility of Morata leaving the club this January.

However, Juventus now seem likely to register an interest next summer, with the Italian giants keen to strengthen their options upfront as they seek to establish themselves among the very best clubs in Europe.

With the likes of Mirko Vucinic and Fabio Quagliarella likely to leave the club, Morata could make an excellent purchase for manager Antonio Conte.

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Manchester United ready to break the bank for Juventus star Arturo Vidal

Manchester United could be set to break the bank to sign Juventus star Arturo Vidal.

The Chile international has been one of the many names mooted with a move to Old Trafford to help bolster the champions flaky midfield.

The 26-year-old has long stated his desire to stay in Turin, but according to French newspaper Le 10 Sport may be persuaded to change his mind with extremely lucrative personal terms.

It would still be something of a coup if boss David Moyes managed to pull off the deal, Vidal having only signed a new deal at the club last month.

Moyes is expected to be a busy man over the next month with a host of famous faces linked with January moves.

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Caceres ready to rebuff Roma and Napoli

Martin Caceres has no desire to leave Juventus despite interest from Roma and Napoli, the defender's agent has confirmed.

Caceres, 26, joined Juventus from Sevilla in July 2012 but has made just seven appearances in all competitions for Antonio Conte's men this season.

The Uruguay international is thought to be considering his future in Turin ahead of the 2014 World Cup, but representative Daniel Fonseca insisted Caceres is not interested in a move in January.

"Roma, Napoli and other big clubs asked about Caceres," Fonseca told Tuttosport.

"However, Martin is in love with Juventus and wants to remain in Turin.

"Of course I expected him to play more, because he is a very strong defender, but it’s only normal at a big club like Juve to have a large squad full of quality."

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Zoff: Buffon still the best

Former Juventus goalkeeper Dino Zoff believes that Gianluigi Buffon is still one of the best in the world and is worried about the next generation of Italian keepers.

Zoff, who made 112 appearances for Italy and over 300 for the Bianconeri, has been speaking out about the plight of young goalkeepers coming through in the game.

“Gigi (Buffon) is at the top in Italy, in Europe and throughout the world. He is the best,” said Zoff, speaking to Corriere dello Sport.

“For a while there were (Andrea) Consigli and (Antonio) Mirante, who are no longer kids. It struck me, in a positive sense, the choice of Genoa to continue betting on (Mattia) Perin. This gives confidence to a goalkeeper so young.”

The 71-year-old put the dearth of emerging young keepers down to the responsibility that now comes with the role.

"With the pressures that come from the Italian football environment our children lose their desire. It is the role that all others, including team-mates, discharge responsibility of.

"A boy must feel the passion, you can't force it. I'd say don't be afraid of making mistakes,” he added.

Zoff also admitted that new ball technology has made it harder for goalkeepers in the modern day.

“The material of the ball is more elastic, players can change the trajectory of the shot. Goalkeepers are afraid of being wrong.”

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Capello: Conte is the best in Italy

Fabio Capello has stated that Juventus’ Antonio Conte is the best manager in Italy and believes that the current Bianconeri side is the strongest in years.

Capello won two Serie A titles in his two years at the club between 2004 and 2006, before they were stripped following the Italian match fixing scandal.

Conte has matched this achievement in his first two years after winning back-to-back titles and with Juventus sitting at the top of the table entering 2014, Capello admitted Conte’s side are better.

“Even if the numbers don’t say this, the current Juventus are stronger than mine were,” said Capello in a Sky interview.

“He took a team that was experiencing a great moment, and gave them a winning mentality. At the moment he is absolutely the best Italian coach, I've seen what they are winning and why they succeeded in getting these achievements in a short time.”

The Bianconeri’s next league game gives them an opportunity to widen the gap at the top as they take on second -placed Roma on January 6 at the Juventus Stadium.

“It's a very important match. If Rome loses they would go eight points behind and it would be a difficult to retrieve,” Capello said about the fixture.

“The Giallorossi is an excellent team, has a fine coach who has very clear ideas and a very strong defence. They are aren’t in cups and must hope Juve drop when they are engaged in Europe.”

Having managed both clubs, Capello also insisted he had no allegiance to either team.

“Who is more in my heart? Both, I had good times at both Turin and Rome,” the 67 year-old recalled.

“With the Giallorossi I won a league title that was missing for many years. At Juve I have won two league titles, then had them deleted but I don't believe that, for me they are always valid.”

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Pjanic : We are not afraid of Juventus

Miralem Pjanic has stated that Roma are not in the least bit afraid of Juventus ahead of Sunday's Serie A showdown in Turin.

The Bianconeri have won the Scudetto for the last two seasons and are currently five points clear of the Giallorossi at the top of the table.

However, Pjanic insists that unbeaten Roma will travel to Juventus Stadium in hope rather than fear.

"Juventus are a very strong team," the Bosnian is quoted as saying by Gazetta dello Sport. "But we are not afraid of them.

"We know we are on a par with any opponent in the league, but have to be on top of our game to beat Juve.

"It's going to be a great game for sure. But we're determined to bring home some valuable points."

Roma's crunch clash with Juventus is scheduled to kick off at 20:45CET.

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