Bologna vs Juventus preview - Conte concentrating on Bologna

Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2012 by PA

Juventus coach Antonio Conte has demanded maximum concentration from his players ahead of Wednesday's rescheduled game at Bologna.

The Turin giants travel to the Renato Dall'Ara stadium looking to put last Saturday's 1-1 draw against Chievo behind them.

The result - Juve's fourth draw in five games - left them three points behind Serie A leaders AC Milan. However, victory would see Conte's side return to the Serie A summit.

The game at Bologna was postponed last month due to adverse weather in Italy.

"For us, each game from now on must be of extraordinary importance," Conte said. "We have to give our best as we have done so far, even in all the games that we have drawn.

"We have to keep our concentration always high and we will see where this leaves us at the end of the season."

Conte knows his side will be tested by Bologna but expects his team to keep up their unbeaten run this season.

"We are having an extraordinary campaign," Conte said. "We have given everything so far and it has allowed us to return to be competitive.

"But we face each week rivals that give 150 per cent in order to beat us."

Bologna bounced back from their 3-1 defeat to Udinese with a 1-0 victory over Novara on Sunday.

The result was the Rossoblu's third win in four league games and lifted Stefano Pioli's side to 14th place.

"We have taken a step forward in our battle to avoid the drop," Pioli said. "But we still have ways to go to defend our Serie A status and we have to keep working hard.

"It's a pity that we had one day less to prepare for Wednesday's game than with respect to Juventus.

"A day can make a lot of difference but we will nevertheless try to do our best and get a positive result."

The hosts will be without striker Robert Acquafresca, who is out with a hand injury. Juve are missing defender Andrea Barzagli and midfielder Giorgio Chiellini, both injured.