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Real out to puncture Barca euphoria at Bernabeu
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-18 11:48
Germany under-21 international Piotr Trochowski is likely to make way for the
Dutch playmaker despite his promising form in a stand-in role.
Serie A leaders Juventus face grudge match in Rome
ROME, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Champions Juventus face one of their sternest tests
of the season at AS Roma on Saturday in what is now among Serie A's most
ill-tempered fixtures.
Juve are top with 30 points from 11 matches, two points ahead of AC Milan,
who also have a tough away match against third-placed Fiorentina.
The Juventus players will have to draw on their mental as well as physical
strength in the game at the Olympic Stadium (kickoff 1930 GMT).
Their opponents come into the game on the back of three straight victories
and will be desperate to win a contest billed as a grudge match by the Italian
media.
Originally, their rivalry was purely a sporting one.
Roma, who won the 2001 scudetto, have long been among Juve's main competitors
for domestic honours but since last season the traditional pre-match sniping has
assumed a personal aspect.
It began lat year when Fabio Capello unexpectedly quit his job as Roma coach
to take charge of Juventus -- a move that immediately turned him into a villain
in the eyes of Roma fans.
His popularity, already low, sank further when he criticised Francesco Totti
and advised Roma's younger players they would do well to choose another team
member as their role model.
The Roma captain responded by claiming Capello had not been a "truthful
person" during his time at the club.
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