Sabatini hits out at Roma

30 September 2012 16:53

Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has slammed his side after their thrashing at the hands of Juventus.

Zdenek Zeman's side were humbled in Turin on Saturday, as an early blitz from the Serie A champions sent them on their way to a 4-1 win.

Sabatini, 57, condemned the attitude of the players and called on them to learn from the defeat - and quickly.

"Many players don't deserve to wear the shirt," he told Mediaset Premium. "We have to immediately change trajectory. Immediately.

"In the space of a few minutes, we suffered two upper-cuts then the team just disappeared. We ask our players to react. Let's not get discouraged.

"This team is competitive and we know that we can play with anyone. We just have to learn from this defeat and change tack."

Despite his side's lacklustre showing, the former Stadio Olimpico player has defended Zeman after criticism of his tactics, insisting the team is still in transition.

"I am referring to a squad that is midway through the process and still trying to absorb certain concepts," he said.

"We are not yet gelled as a team, but must face every game with a different spirit - right now.

"It is evident that we're behind schedule. Roma need to step on to the pitch with the right attitude and motivation.

"We emerge from this evening with great suffering, but have to find a solution."

Filippi talks up Bendtner´s chances

30 September 2012 16:13

Juventus goalkeeping coach Claudio Filippi is confident that Nicklas Bendtner will get a chance to prove his worth.

Filippi, who spoke after the 4-1 victory over Roma, praised Juve's collective spirit and togetherness and gave credit for the win to suspended head coach Antonio Conte.

"Nicklas Bendtner will eventually have his chance," Filippi said.

"Juventus have a great group of strikers this season. Right now, we have several forwards that give us guarantees. They are rotated according to how they perform in training.

"We work hard during the week with Conte, so this victory belongs to him."

Despite the manner in which the Italian champions sent Zdenek Zeman's Roma packing, Filippi is refusing to dismiss their title credentials.

"It's true we got off to a splendid start, but we fought against a side who will nevertheless continue doing important things this season, continuously challenging for the top places."

Juventus now turn her attention to their Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk, after earning a credible opening day draw against fellow Group E heavyweights, Chelsea.

Giovinco proud of ´convincing´ win

30 September 2012 15:14

Juventus forward Sebastian Giovinco has praised his team-mates for giving their all in the 4-1 victory over Roma on Saturday.

The forward grabbed the fourth goal in the 90th minute to round off an emphatic win for the reigning Serie A champions.

And Giovinco is adamant that the result makes up for the stalemate against Fiorentina on Tuesday.

"We were average in Florence, so it was important for us to win (on Saturday) and put in a convincing performance," the Italy international told the club's website.

Giovinco paid tribute to the overall performance of his colleagues, reserving particular plaudits for fellow striker Alessandro Matri.

"All our strikers are scoring? I'm happy for Matri, as he wasn't going through the best of periods, and for myself too," he said.

"It's great when everyone gives 100 percent. We'll celebrate a bit tonight then start thinking about the Champions League tomorrow morning."

De Rossi tells Roma to give up on Scudetto

30 September 2012 11:42

Daniele De Rossi has told his Roma team-mates to forget about winning the Serie A title after losing 4-1 to Juventus on Saturday.

Zdenek Zeman's side were roundly beaten by the Bianconeri thanks to a first-half blitz from Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Alessandro Matri and a late strike from Sebastian Giovinco.

After the match, De Rossi admitted that while Juve were the better side, the Giallorossi should instead focus on qualifying for the Champions League rather than the Scudetto.

"It's been a bad evening, we put on a poor showing against a team stronger than us," the 29-year-old said.

"There is bitterness, we were hoping to do well in spite of the awareness of being inferior. The fact is we cannot (match) Juve, it is wrong to say that we can aim for the Scudetto.

"We must have a great season (in order) to return to Europe. We must compete with those who are at our level, but we need to start winning points (in general).

"They (Juventus) have a stronger unit, and a savagery that we are only showing in fits and spurts."

Roma host Atalanta at the Olimpico next weekend.

Developing Roma disappoint Zeman

30 September 2012 00:38

Zdenek Zeman says his Roma team are still a work in progress after they suffered a 4-1 defeat at Juventus on Saturday.

Roma conceded three goals in quick succession during the first half in Turin, and although they clawed one back via a penalty in the second period, the coach acknowledged his players never quite managed to recover.

"Juventus were superior throughout," Zeman said.

"Roma are improving, but this game was terrible."

"We neither attacked nor defended effectively, and so were constantly under pressure. Tonight, I saw very little of what we do during training, although we are still a work in progress.

"Conceding three goals rapidly would have knocked any team out. Maybe they were so intimidating we forgot how to implement our ideas."

"I am happy to be at Roma and am sure we will express ourselves eventually. We will learn from games like these in due course.

"I hope the players realise they were too sluggish tonight, and didn't do enough."

Roma sit eighth in Serie A after two defeats, two draws and just two wins so far this term.

Juve goalkeeper coach Claudio Filippi, speaking in place of banned coach Antonio Conte, said on-loan striker Nicklas Bendtner must continue to wait for an opportunity after joining the club from Arsenal.

"Nicklas Bendtner will eventually have his chance," Filippi said.

"Juventus have a great group of strikers this season. Right now, we have several forwards that give us guarantees. They are rotated according to how they perform in training.

"We work hard during the week with (Antonio) Conte, so this victory belongs to him."

Despite the manner in which the Italian champions sent Zeman's side packing, Filippi is refusing to dismiss the Roma's title credentials.

"It's true we got off to a splended start, but we fought against a side who will nevertheless continue doing important things this season, continuously challenging for the top places," he said.

Juventus now turn their attention to the Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk, after earning a credible opening day draw against fellow Group E heavyweights, Chelsea.

Destro eyes first Roma goal

29 September 2012 16:25

Striker Mattia Destro has vowed to shave off his beard if he scores his first official goal for Roma in the away game against Juventus.

The former Inter Milan starlet has yet to find the net for Roma since joining them in the transfer window, and he is hoping to open his account on Saturday.

"Scoring against Inter or netting versus Juventus? I'd prefer to score against Inter," Destro told Tuttosport.

"It's always an extra motivation to play against your former team. However, I promise to shave off my beard if I score against (Gianluigi) Buffon on Saturday.

"It hurts that I have not scored yet. It's all about scoring goals for a striker. You start thinking about it when you don't score and try to find out what goes wrong.

"It's quite simple really. When you play at Roma, you cannot afford to miss big chances."

The Italy international explained his decision to join Roma rather than Juve earlier this year.

"It was a very difficult decision. In the end, I opted to join Roma because everybody told me that attackers score a lot of goals under Zdenek Zeman," he said.

Filippi defends Conte involvement

29 September 2012 04:15

Juventus goalkeeping coach Claudio Filippi has defended the decision to allow banned boss Antonio Conte to train his side behind closed doors.

The Serie A champions, who are unbeaten in 44 games, take on Roma on Saturday - a grudge match because of a long-standing feud between Juve and Roma's coach, the legendary Zdenek Zeman.

He made few friends in Turin when he recently questioned the decision to allow banned head coach Antonio Conte to train his team, but Filippi is only concentrating on the game in hand.

"Well, we are directly involved, both Massimo (Carrera, caretaker coach) and I, but aside from whatever Zeman declared, we are part of the technical staff and we talk about football, which is the most important thing at the moment," Filippi said.

"Any debate aims to heighten the tension before a match and that's not a good thing for us.

"Today's training session will be very important for us because its' the last one before the match and after a lot of matches in a row.

"After today's training session we will have clearer ideas and the manager will give us some indications on who's going play and be with us for the match.

"Roma are a strong team, they have important players and I share Zeman's opinion - they're a team that will fight to win the Scudetto this season."

Serie A preview: Sampdoria set for Napoli challenge

28 September 2012 05:01

Midfielder Gianni Munari has claimed Sampdoria are 'a team full of character' ahead of their blockbuster Serie A clash against Napoli.

Sampdoria, who were promoted to Italy's top tier through the playoffs after one season in Serie B, have started their new campaign in great form with three straight victories before consecutive 1-1 draws against Torino and Roma.

The Genoa-based club sit third in the league standings and take on equal first-placed Napoli on Sunday in what will be arguably the match of the round; and Munari believes Sampdoria have shown they can continue their early form throughout the season.

"We are a team full of character," Munari said.

"I'm looking forward to this year."

Sampdoria trail Napoli by three points, which includes a one-point penalty to the former due to their involvement in the Italian match-fixing scandal.

Napoli will provide a very tough challenge to Sampdoria with Walter Mazzarri's having scored 10 goals in their past four games to sit equal-top of Serie A alongside reigning champions Juventus with the two teams level on points, goal difference, goals scored and goals against.

But Mazzarri remains keen to play down expectations in Naples.

"We are only five games into the season and the road is long," Mazzarri said after Napoli's 3-0 win over Lazio on Wednesday.

"We have had a great victory and are looking at Sampdoria because it will be a tough game."

In the other big match of the round, Juventus host Roma with the visitors' coach Zdenek Zeman set to face a hostile reception.

The 65-year-old Czech claimed during his first spell in charge of Roma 14 years ago that Juventus were using performance-enhancing drugs and has also criticised the reigning champions this season, in relation to the ban on their coach Antonio Conte for match-fixing.

Roma are eighth in Serie A and are certain to maintain Zeman's attacking philosophy despite the tough trip to Turin on Saturday, while AC Milan will travel to Parma for the other early game of the round.

The late game on Sunday pits Inter Milan against Fiorentina, while Lazio host Siena and Udinese take on Genoa.

In other Serie A matches, Atalanta host Torino, Bologna face Catania, Cagliari will play Pescara and Palermo are up against Chievo.