Former Juventus coach Fabio Capello believes Juventus are still experimenting to find their best starting XI. The Bianconeri were held to a 0-0 draw against Roma in Turin on Sunday evening, having won their two previous matches by three goal margins. Speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Capello explained why he thinks Inter have a squad deep enough to have two teams and are a well-oiled machine, ready to go:
“It seems obvious to me, Simone Inzaghi’s boys have the scudetto on their chest not by chance. Inter is deep in the squad, has two high-level teams and, above all, unlike the others restarts with mechanisms already tested: everyone knows what to do and when to do i.”
Yet after two matchdays the new Juve of Thiago Motta had really impressed, with the double 3-0 against Como and Verona. Is the draw with Roma already a small slowdown?
“It seems normal to me that the Bianconeri are still in the running-in period. The formation that took the field in the first half of yesterday, despite being the same that had won in Verona, can be defined as experimental. And in fact Juve struggled especially in the first half of the match, creating very little, orchestrating just two or three counterattacks and often leaving the ball to Roma. The ball in the first 45 minutes traveled slowly, the team did not have great rhythm. And from memory I remember only one shot by Vlahovic, well saved by Svilar…”.
In the second half the Bianconeri had who knows how many chances…
“True, but with the entry of Conceição, Koopmeiners and company, much more quality was seen on the field. And in fact Juve took the game in hand decisively , although not managing to win it.”
You mentioned Vlahovic: after the brace in Verona many immediately expected an encore.
“Well, it’s difficult to expect it with half a chance available (laughs ed.). I think that Dusan will soon benefit from the help of the new arrivals. Many new signings have only been in Turin for a short time and still have to be integrated. But when Motta will have inserted them stably in his football, for sure Vlahovic will have his chances to score goals”.
Does Juve remain the anti-Inter?
“Too early to say if there is an anti-Inter, whether it’s the Bianconeri or another team. But there is a consideration to make: Juve concede very little to opponents and is the only one in the league to have not yet conceded goals. And this is a very important detail in Italy. Moreover, also in Bologna Thiago Motta had shown to be an excellent coach in organizing the defensive phase, so I really don’t think it’s a coincidence”.
What is missing for the Bianconeri to reach the level of the current Italian champions?
“Time, first of all time. As I’ve already said, Inter is a well-oiled machine that travels at full speed. It may have some small hiccup, but they have acquired certainties as bases. Inzaghi has been coaching them for three years, he has made a Champions League final and won a championship. Juve, instead, is still under construction. Koopmeiners arrived a few days ago and hadn’t trained for a long time. The last official match, if I’m not mistaken, he had played months ago… Similar story for Conceição and Gonzalez, and it was their debut in Turin. While Thuram got injured immediately and Douglas Luiz has to grow in condition. In short, we have not yet seen the real Juve of Motta made and finished, although the foundations are promising.”
