Giampiero Ventura is in confident mood ahead of the Derby della Mole against Juventus on Sunday lunchtime believing that the confidence taken from their recent victory over Bologna can help his Torino side defeat the Old Lady for the first time in 18 years.
With Roma winning their respective city battle with Lazio last Sunday the Granata coach referred to Giallorossi coach Rudi Garcia who commented that derbies are not ‘played but won’ and his side would be looking to take a similar attitude into the game.
“We haven’t beaten the Bianconeri since 1995, but we hadn’t won at Bologna for 33 years and we still managed that last week,” Ventura told the press.
“We are not afraid, though we do have great respect for a side like Juventus who won the title for two consecutive campaigns. We know our qualities, we know we can do it and I say that with the utmost respect.
“Juve are strong, but we have the belief that we can do this. The Derby is always a separate game from everything else. We have grown and are more mature than last season.”
“Garcia said ‘you don’t play a Derby, you win it’ and I can only agree. If this Torino wants to, then it can achieve something important. This should be our slogan: ‘If you want it, then you can succeed.
“I hope the fans will flock to the game too and be able to one day say: ‘I was there.’”
“We’d still have to face Paul Pogba [if Andrea Pirlo was rested] the same way, even if he has different characteristics. Antonio Conte said other teams play more defensively against them, but that’s fairly normal. If I were to challenge Mike Tyson then I’d do it on a chess board rather than in a boxing ring!”
Follow Kevin Pogorzelski on Twitter: @rabbitrabbiton
