Sergio Brio, full-blooded Leccese like Antonio Conte and Franco Causio and unforgettable stopper of Michel Platini's pluriscudettata Juve of the early 80s, he played many top meetings against Diego Maradona's Napoli. As a player he won everything there was to win, including 4 Scudettos and a Champions League, but he never lost the humility and fair play of Zoff and Scirea and you can still hear it today as a radio commentator at Radio Uno Rai. His passion never erases the lucidity and indisputable competence with which he reads and tells the matches. FIRSTonline asked him how he sees Saturday night's big match in Turin between Juventus chasing their fifth consecutive Scudetto and Napoli dominating the standings with a two-point lead. Here is his point of view.
FIRSTonline – Mr. Brio, what are your predictions for Juve-Napoli on Saturday evening?
BRIO – It's the triple match classification: 1, X, 2. Very difficult match between two teams that are dominating the championship. Up front will be the best offense in the tournament against the best defense. Both will seek victory at all costs, unless the emphasis with which the big match was presented ends up leading Juve and Napoli to excessive prudence.
FIRSTonline – Will it be a decisive big match for the conquest of the Scudetto?
BRIO – I don't think so or better: it could only be decisive if Napoli won, but not so much for the five-point advantage that Sarri's team would collect but for the injection of confidence and self-esteem that Napoli could derive from it. But Sarri is the first to know that, even in the event of victory, when facing a tank like Juve, you can never take anything for granted, as demonstrated by the incredible run-up by the Bianconeri in this tournament.
FIRSTonline – What are the greatest strengths and weaknesses of Napoli and Juve right now?
BRIO – For Napoli, which Sarri has been able to lead very well, it is even too easy to point to Higuain as their greatest strength: I don't see any particular defects in that team, except for the risk that the Neapolitans, who are not used to being at the top, feel too much the importance of the race. As for Juve, the greatest strengths at the moment are the young Dybala, Pogba and Morata but the absences of Chiellini, Mandzukic, Caceres and Asamoah weigh.
FIRSTonline – You were Juve's stopper for many years: if you were in Allegri's place today, would you replace Chiellini with a 3-man or 4-man defence?
BRIO – The absence of Chiellini, who is one of the best defenders around, is a serious handicap for Juve. In theory it would be better to deploy a back three, but in these conditions it is difficult to set it up and, in the end, I think it is preferable to focus on a back four with Barzagli and Bonucci in the center and Lichtsteiner and Evra on the sides.
FIRSTonline – Alternatively there would be one of the most promising youngsters like Rugani: why not trust him?
BRIO – I am a great admirer of Rugani and I think he will have a bright future, but with the young players you have to tread lightly. Throwing him onto the pitch in such a delicate match risks burning him. Let's not forget what happened with Criscito.
FIRSTonline – Mr. Brio, what is the difference between Juve-Napoli on Saturday evening and Juve-Napoli in the times of Platini and Maradona in which you played?
BRIO – Each team has its time. You cannot make comparisons with the past. But I think that even today everyone remembers the champions of the big matches between Juve and Napoli in the 80s. And this is a great satisfaction for those who were there.
