The Champions League is back this week and we have a difficult task at home against the Champions of Italy, Juventus. Salvo from http://forum.juventuz.org has taken the time to take part in an interview for match day 1 of the Uefa Champions League. Firstly, thank you for taking the time to complete this interview. It's very much appreciated! We will start with an easy question, how long have you supported Juventus for and what made you become a supporter? I have supported Juventus for as long as I can remember. I grew up with Juventus through my father who was a fanatic supporter. I guess this is what made me a supporter initially but throughout the years what has cemented my support is the Juventus philosophy, the true professionalism of the club and the strong connection our players have had to the shirt. I think my love grew for the club during our harder times, to see certain players stick by our club during the Serie B run and cement their name as legends was pretty inspiring for me as a Juventus supporter. Tell us a bit about your run in the Serie A last season. It must of come as quite a shock to see your team go undefeated? Our run last season in Serie A was as much of a surprise initially to me as many others. I did have my doubts going into the season, I thought we really lacked a superstar especially in attack. But after a few games, a previously untried coach had become a talisman. Conte instilled a hunger and a "grinta" as we call it that we had not seen at Juventus for a long time. We didn't look as frail mentally as we did in seasons past and despite a few too many draws the team really came together and fought all year. We got a to a point where I didn't think we would lose, our players didn't drop their head they fought harder. I think Conte was the main inspiration for this run but the playing group really came together and had an awesome season. To win the Serie A after so many hard years was amazing, it felt like the Juve of old. It must have been difficult to say goodbye to the Legend that is Alessandro Del Piero, tell us what he meant to you as a player and person. For me Del Piero is Juventus and vice versa, I grew up with him as my hero and never imagined a Juve without him. He was truly an inspiration for myself, and many in the footballing world. He is a once in a lifetime player, my favourite of all time. He simply personified Juventus, class, magic and a will to win while always remaining humble. When he stated he would even go to Serie C for us it literally bought a tear to my eye. It really hurt when I found out it would be his last season, I just couldn't imagine it. His first goal in the stadium and his last, that free kick against Lazio I celebrated like never before. I remember his last game in Serie A, the game was still going on while he was doing his lap of honour, it was amazing, no one cared about the game any more it was all about him. I don't think many players could have that effect. It was beautiful and incredibly sad for me at the time. I still struggle to believe he is gone, I hope that one day he will be back and play a part in the club, but for me he will always be "Il Capitano" for me. In the meantime I am really happy he chose Australia as his destination as I live in Australia, it means I can see my hero live which is something I would never of imagined happening down here. How does it feel to be playing Champions League football once again? The champions league is something we have really missed in the last few seasons, being back feels like being home. We want to do well, we know we can compete with the best on our day and hope we can show that this week. It is the most prestigious competition in world football it is natural we would love to win it sometime soon. We are raring to go and frankly cannot wait to see how we go in Europe. What were your thoughts on Chelsea winning the Champions League for the first time last season. Many say we didn't deserve it, do you agree with this? I think it is highly unfair to suggest it was not deserved. I really respect a good defensive game, I think Chelsea did exactly what they had to do and did it quite well. Sure there was some luck involved but isn't there always? I was quite happy for Chelsea, it was good to see a new winner. It seems Milan have weakened in terms of players in there squad and they were your biggest threats last season. What are your expectations for the season, do you think you can go all the way and win the league again? It is true that Milan have been greatly weakened, I think personally that they will struggle to get a top 3 spot this year. In saying this Inter have created a really solid team for the league, without the champions league they can be a threat. Roma also have built a decent side but their defence is a bit of a worry. On their day they will do well but I don't think they will challenge for the title just yet. Lazio are also up there, I think they will do well with their current squad. Quality players like Hernanes and Klose can do some damage. I think our biggest threat will be Napoli, they have a very good team and this year they do not have to worry about the champions league. I think they could go very far. I do expect us to win the title again, I think our team is deep enough to handle the Champions League and I think we are the best team in the league. I am confident but I will not take the league for granted, there are some solid teams here. How has Pogba been playing? Many Manchester United fans claimed on more then one occasion that he could of been the future of the club but left before being given the chance. Pogba, from the little I have seen of him in our colours looks to be a real player of the future. He has great physical attributes and technique, I think he can mature into the Pirlo role. He looks to be confident, if he is patient he will slot into the team in the near future. Tell us a bit about your squad and how you think you will play against Chelsea Wednesday night. Our squad is pretty solid, we have a great midfield and a defence that was very solid last year. We have an amazing keeper and we have some quality on the bench and depth in every position. We do lack a true superstar forward but we have very good players in Vucinic and Giovinco. We play a high tempo possession game, we like to play the ball through both the middle and through the wings. We aren't very predictable but Pirlo is a pivotal part of how we play, he is for me the best passer in world football. Marchisio and Vidal are the engines but are also both quite technical and capable of scoring as well as that killer pass. The defence is a really good unit, Barzagli was a revelation last season, one of our most consistent players a wall in defence. Chiellini is also a very good defender, world class in my opinion, great at stopping the oppositions forward. Bonucci is the less experienced of the bunch, but he can be a very good defender on his day but is prone to lapses every now and again. I guess the test will be in such games as these. Lichtsteiner, who will play wing back in this game is a player that runs all day, he is a real competitor and regularly got into goal scoring positions last year. In saying this he will not forget his defensive duties. Asamoah is another really strong runner and has surprised me with how he has made the LWB spot his own, he is rather good on the ball which has been important for us this year. The two forwards Giovinco and Vucinic, on their day can be a real thorn in the opposition’s side, both are capable of creating and scoring with great quality. We will line up with the 3-5-2 and try to win the midfield battle, we cannot give you boys too much space as if we do the back 3 could struggle. Do you expect Chelsea and Juventus to both go through in our group? I would think and hope that we both go through, we are the best teams in the group at least on paper. Shaktar though will not be easy and could pose a surprise if either team lets their guard down. The away trips will be hard for us. If you could sign one Chelsea player who would it be any why? The one Chelsea player I would sign would probably have to be Hazard, he is a real gem. I think he can be one of the best in the world very soon. He is a real superstar and he will only get better. Finally, what do you think the final score will be and who will be the scorer/s? I have a feeling the game will end in a 1-1 draw. I think it will be a very tight game, both teams will have their chances, it just depends on who takes them. The midfield battle will be very interesting, I am curious about how both managers approach this game tactically. It should be an interesting match. I predict Hazard will score for you and Giovinco for us.
