Former Lazio, Inter, and Juventus midfielder Hernanes, shared his thoughts on the upcoming Derby d’Italia between Inter and Juventus with La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Brazilian, who divides his time between running an agriturismo in Monferrato, a restaurant in Turin, and playing amateur football, offered valuable insights into this crucial match.
When asked for a prediction about the Derby, Hernanes said, “I’m not sure. But I think Inter is having a better week compared to Juventus. In football, confidence, self-esteem, morale, and momentum count for a lot. Inter played poorly in the Champions League against Young Boys but still won away. Juventus lost badly, not playing well. You need to recompose mentally, but in the Derby d’Italia, the ability to be decisive counts for a lot. And both teams have that. That’s why it’s impossible to say who will win.”
Hernanes identified the key area of the pitch that will determine the match’s outcome: “The decisive zone will be the offensive final third, for both sides. Because we’re talking about two teams that defend well and are very aggressive defensively. So whoever manages to play well from the final third up will win.”
Reflecting on his own experiences leading up to such high-stakes matches, he shared, “You live Inter-Juve trying to stay focused during the week, attentive in training, eliminating distractions because all energies are important to bring home the result, which is what counts. They are always matches fought on the level of determination. You need fresh physical and psychological energy to find inspiration.”
When reminiscing about his time at Inter, Hernanes recalled his transition to playing as a trequartista: “Surely when I started playing as a trequartista doing important things: goals, good performances, scoring at San Siro… I always remember with pleasure one goal in particular against Napoli: with my head—I wasn’t used to that!”
Discussing his time at Juventus, he simply stated, “I’ll be banal, but I say the two scudetti won.”
On current Juventus coach Thiago Motta’s impact on the team, Hernanes said, “I absolutely like him. I really like him and his style of play: he knows how to manage pressure situations very well, always with intelligence and elegance. Just like when he played; he was very elegant and lucid. Now he’s the same; I see him exactly as when he was a player: lucid, elegant, and intelligent. He gets results while also playing well; I like him.”
When comparing strikers Dusan Vlahovic and Marcus Thuram, Hernanes noted their differing styles: “They have different characteristics: Vlahovic plays more as a central striker with his back to goal. Thuram is more of an open-field profile who plays with speed. Although lately, he’s been having decisive moments.”
Hernanes also provided an update on his current football career and business ventures: “This year we started great! We won the first five and lost the last two. So we’re in there; we’re competing.” He expressed satisfaction with his restaurant in Monferrato: “Ca’ del Porfeta is doing well; I’m working hard to get known. More and more people are coming from everywhere; I’m starting to export our wines too. I must say I’m happy; I’m beginning to see the business grow.”
