Verona head coach Paul Zanetti attended the pre-match press conference against Juventus in the fourth round of Serie A.
You beat Juventus while coaching Empoli. How can we defeat such a team?
Each season and each team are different. We were in good shape at the time and they were in a low point. To defeat a team with many champions, many factors need to be combined. They are in good shape now: the game is fast paced and aggressive, which is the result of their coaching work, and they are strong contenders in Serie A title and European competition. We must focus on ourselves, show great performance again, and strive to get points.
Except for long-term casualties, who else will be absent in this game?
In addition to the players who were absent last week, Oyegok was also absent due to a foot fracture. Valentini will return next week, with Gaglialdini fighting for a comeback against Roma or otherwise available against Sassuolo. Arui will take two to three weeks, while Moskra and Falu will resume joint training next week.
How can the team maintain a balanced mindset and avoid ups and downs?
This is exactly what we must avoid: frustrated when things are bad, and overly excited when things are smooth. We need stability to perform. We know we'll meet three strong teams in the first five games, but that's normal in the top league. We lost two points last week and now we have to go all out in these two difficult games. The most important thing is performance: this can give you confidence and balance. Our daily growth path is still long, but this week we face it with different moods and consciousness. The players enjoy and want to play another great game as they experience the meaning of playing at the Bentgoti Stadium and feel the power the fans give you emotionally. This game requires us to be fearless, show our courage and do our best.
How can we break through Juventus' goal?
Juventus scored incredibly easy: they scored more goals and shots. They faced strong teams before, so they also conceded the ball, but you can clearly see Tudor's influence. They were very aggressive, fought fiercely, and fought against each other throughout the game. They fully implement the coaching philosophy, which also allows them to perform at their best. In addition, they have world-class players who can change the game. We must transcend ourselves in order to achieve a result.
How did you prepare for this game?
We must respect our opponents and not be arrogant. We just finished a big game against our direct competitors, but now we have to change our posture because Juventus’ strength requires us to do so. We can’t repeat the mistakes we made against Lazio: we need to focus from the beginning and win the confrontation. We must be more clinical, and mentality and spirit will be the most important, and we must understand what kind of game we are going to face. Physically we are growing, and mentally we are in a good state.
Juventus is very threatening in set pieces, is this worrying you?
Compared with last year, our characteristics are different. At that time, physical fitness was one of our strengths, but now we lack two players like Gaglialdini and Valentini who have strong heading skills. Bergali can improve, Bened and Zelda are not tall, and we lack a striker who is over 1.90 meters tall and can help us in the penalty area. We can only make up with attitude and find tactical solutions that can help us. We must always stay focused, both offensively and defensively.
source:7mvn com