Bologna vs Juventus preview - Conte focused on Bologna

Posted Saturday, March 16, 2013 by PA

Juventus head coach Antonio Conte believes the Serie A game at Bologna is just as important as next month's Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.

The Bianconeri's reward for dispatching Celtic at the last-16 stage is a double-header against last season's runners-up, one of the more heavyweight clashes in this year's final eight.

But the German challenge takes a back seat for now as Juve concentrate on extending their nine-point lead at the top of the table when they take on in-form Bologna at the Renato Dall'Ara.

Conte told juventus.com: "For now Bologna is our Champions League final. Winning would send a clear message to the rest of the league, but it won't be easy.

"We are going up against the team in the best form in Serie A, who have claimed three straight wins against top teams and have virtually secured their survival.

"They have a great coach in Stefano Pioli and some high-quality players. Bologna are in great physical shape too and will want to give us a game. They will play very openly and we will do the same."

The 43-year-old also took the time to urge fans of the Turin club to cheer on their reigning champions rather than sing insulting songs about rival teams.

Juve were handed a 4,000-euro fine this week as a section of supporters were overheard chanting abuse about AC Milan players during a 1-0 win over Catania.

"Recently we received a little fine for some chanting at our stadium," Conte added. "I am asking the fans to focus instead on supporting the team because it's best we hear them singing for Juve and the players.

"Other teams don't really care when you sing songs about them. I hope that certain things do not happen again and I hope that we do not end up playing behind closed doors because of stupidity."

The injured trio of Martin Caceres, Nicklas Bendtner and Simone Pepe sit out at the Dall'Ara, where Juve have failed to win since November 2010.

Defender Fredrik Sorensen is Rossoblu boss Pioli's only injury concern ahead of the champions' arrival, with a fourth consecutive league win a real possibility.

Victories over Fiorentina, Cagliari and Inter Milan have propelled Bologna into 10th place and Pioli is pleased to have proved the doubters wrong.

"I'm very pleased and happy for my players who are reaping the benefits of a job well done," he told La Repubblica. "The team has been the subject of criticism in the last few months but I think we deserve compliments.

"Bologna have made a quantum leap in results and that's helped us become more aware of our own ability. It would have been easy for us to lose our way but instead we were great and the players believe in themselves."