Ferrara keen to replicate domestic form

Posted Tuesday, September 15, 2009 by PA

Juventus are off to a flying start in Serie A and coach Ciro Ferrara will be looking for the same thing in the club's Champions League Group A opener against Bordeaux.

Ferrara, a member of the last Juve team to win Europe's elite club competition back in 1996, has reason to be optimistic.

A 2-0 win at Lazio on Saturday marked Juve's third consecutive triumph in Italy's top flight and justified their billing as one of the main challengers in the domestic competition this season.

"It's never easy to win in Rome," said Ferrara. "But we have managed to do so twice this season.

"I have to thank all my players. I am very pleased with their performance and the spirit of sacrifice shown by my team."

Ferrara will be hoping his players can show the same determination come Tuesday.

Juve will have to overcome the absence of pivotal Brazilian midfielder Diego, who sustained a thigh injury during Saturday's game and has been ruled out for at least 10 days.

The consolation for Ferrara is that David Trezeguet ended his eight-month goalscoring drought on Saturday. The French striker scored his team's second at Lazio and is expected to play on Tuesday.

Juve defender Fabio Grosso has warned his team-mates to prepare themselves for a battle against the French giants.

"I know Bordeaux well," said Grosso, who joined the Turin giants this summer after two seasons at Lyon. "They are a challenging rival.

"Bordeaux plays good football and won the league title thanks to their tactical and physical qualities. They were consistent last year and deserved to win the French title.

"The times I faced Bordeaux when playing with Lyon, we always suffered. It's not going to be an easy start to the competition for us."

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc, who was a team-mate of Ferrara at Napoli in the 1991-92 campaign, is expecting an exciting encounter in Turin.

Bordeaux have never won in Italy, having collected just two draws in seven previous trips.

Les Girondins are top of Ligue 1 after Saturday's 1-0 triumph over Grenoble, but Blanc believes Juve will present a stern test.

"The Champions League is a different story," said Blanc. "Juve is a high quality rival.

"It's evident that we will have to step up our game if we want to get a positive result in Turin.

"We will face more difficult challenges in Turin and we need to be ready."

Blanc will have all his players available as defender Mathieu Chalme returns to the line-up having missed the game against Grenoble through suspension.

Sitting out the game at Turin's Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday will be Giorgio Chiellini, who serves a one-match ban.

Juve captain Alessandro Del Piero is expected to play having rested at the weekend.