Lecce vs Juventus preview - Conte set to play waiting game with Borriello

Posted Sunday, January 08, 2012 by PA

Coach Antonio Conte is not ready to hand new signing Marco Borriello his debut when Juventus travel to Lecce.

Borriello has joined table-topping Juve on a six-month loan deal from Roma.

With strikers Simone Pepe, Alessandro Matri, Mirko Vucinic, Alessandro Del Piero and Fabio Quagliarella all available for Sunday's game, Borriello will have to play the waiting game to earn his first start at Juve.

"No one has their place assured in this team," Conte said.

"Everyone has to be ready to be called upon and this is what I tell the new arrivals.

"They are the ones that need to catch up with the group and convince me that they deserve a place in the starting XI."

Juve go into the encounter in Lecce as the only unbeaten team in Serie A this season.

Their goalless draw at Udinese in the last round left them at the top of the standings, level on 34 points with AC Milan.

Despite their great run of form so far, Conte has warned his players they cannot take bottom-side Lecce lightly.

"We need to give everything in each game, starting on Sunday," he said.

Lecce, meanwhile, could not have asked for a tougher possible rival to start 2012.

Serse Cosmi's side are in desperate need of points having lost five of their last six games.

Their 4-1 defeat to Inter Milan last time out left the Salentini six points behind safety.

"Juve is a great team and we must run more than them and raise our level of concentration because if you give them any space they will punish you," Lecce striker Luis Muriel said.

Juve are hoping to have playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who is doubtful with the flu, available for the game.