Head, heart and courage. In addition, obviously, to the eyes of the tiger, the ones that have been missing at the start of the season. Juventus is preparing for the most difficult of challenges in the toughest moment of the last two years. The defeat in Florence in fact marked the lowest point of the Conte era, not so much for the result itself but for the ways in which it took place. We start again from Madrid and from the most difficult opponent, that Real who, at least in the Champions League, fly with full points in the group. The premises are certainly not excellent, but Juventus have no alternatives: they have to score points, otherwise the situation in the standings could get very tough.
There is concern in the environment, on the other hand the Franchi debacle has left its mark and it could not have been otherwise. “Something unthinkable happened on Sunday – admitted Antonio Conte at the press conference. – In football, however, these things happen, the numbers instead say that we always create a lot. We have to prove that we are up to this fearless stage, ready to know how to suffer but also to hurt. Real Madrid gives us enormous stimuli and motivation, we will give everything, even if this match is not decisive for qualification."
A concept very dear to the Juventus coach, who does not want to further burden a match already full of pressure. “Whether you win or lose, the games won't be made – he explained again. – After this there will still be three games left…”. Yes, but Galatasaray's double commitment against Copenhagen could cause the Lady to slip into third place, with the risk of having to win in Istanbul on the last day of the group stage. Beyond the rankings, Juve is called to react to the Florentine beating, as well as to the criticisms legitimately rained on them.
Conte knows it well, who defends his team with drawn sword (above all Buffon, defined as "a champion as a footballer and as a man, a certainty forever"), but is preparing for an important tactical turning point. In fact, at the Bernabeu the 3-5-2, dressed in the last two Scudetti, will return to the closet to make room for an unprecedented 4-3-1-2. A choice dictated by the characteristics of the opponent (between Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale, Isco and Di Maria it is better to cover the flanks…), but also by the need to better protect a defense far from the glories of the (recent) past.
In fact, between the league and the Champions League, there are already 13 goals conceded, a huge amount considering that Rome and Real Madrid, leaders of their respective tournaments, are "steady" at 1. And then, to lend a hand to the department, there will be Caceres, who he will thus return to the field after the injury suffered in the Super Cup on 18 August, sending Asamoah to the bench. Everything else is confirmed, with Buffon in goal, Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini in defence, Vidal, Pirlo and Pogba in midfield, Marchisio playmaker behind the Tevez – Llorente duo. It is useless to hide that the contribution of the forwards will be fundamental, both in the coverage and in the offensive phases. “Carlos had a very positive impact – acknowledged Conte. – He is an example for the quality and commitment he puts into every occasion. Fernando is fine, he's available and he's one of the players I could field…”.
On the Real Madrid front, a lot of confidence, deriving from the team's good momentum (with Saturday's victory over Malaga, the La Liga standings smiled again) and, vice versa, from Juve's lackluster one. But Ancelotti knows the Lady well and is wary of a victory that everyone in Madrid takes for granted: “I'm not basing myself on the last quarter of an hour in Florence, but on the first 70 minutes in which the Bianconeri were solid and compact. They have great play organization and it is difficult to cause them problems. They are also dangerous in attack and know how to make good use of the flanks."
Carletto therefore does not trust Juve and in particular Andra Pirlo, his former beacon at the time of Milan: “We will have to be careful with his plays, but we won't prepare anything special for him. We have embarked on a path at a tactical level and we will not abandon it”. In short, no cage, on the other hand the refined audience of the Bernabeu would not like it. The Juve match is being played on this possible Madrid snobbery. Provided, of course, that the eyes of the tiger go on the pitch.
