Juventus vs FC Nordsjaelland preview - Minnows nervous ahead of Juve test

Posted Wednesday, November 07, 2012 by PA

FC Nordsjaelland defender Jores Okore admits the team may be nervous ahead of kick-off against Italian giants Juventus when they meet in the Champions League, but he remains optimistic they can claim a positive result.

The plucky Danes stunned their illustrious opposition a fortnight ago as they held Juve to a draw in Copenhagen, but the Superliga champions now face a testing trip to Turin to take on the Serie A title-holders and Okore expects a completely different match.

"I will probably be a little nervous when we go into the match," he said.

"It is a big job but I am ready to take responsibility, and I am good at telling myself that it's just a football game.

"We will certainly meet a very attack-oriented Juventus and we should not expect to get the same time on the ball."

Denmark international Okore also believes the home crowd will be expecting a big win from La Vecchia but the 20-year-old reckons a point is attainable for Nordsjaelland, who currently sit bottom of Group E.

He said: "Their fans will probably demand that they put pressure on us, but we should just give everything we have. It would be great to draw against Juventus again."

Juventus assistant manager Angelo Alessio is targeting the knockout stages for the Italians and believes that such an achievement would represent significant progress for a side that was only promoted from Serie B in 2007.

"We would like to move forward in the Champions League and to get in the knockout stage," he said.

"But we also know that we are on a path of growth, we have not forgotten where we came from and that we have so many rookies in this team."

Alessio used examples of other big European sides looking to win the competition and referred to how much preparation is required to do so.

"Hearing about experienced coaches like (Manchester City's Roberto) Mancini and (Paris St Germain's Carlo) Ancelotti, it is understood that it takes years to be ready to win such an important trophy."