Juventus director Beppe Marotta confirmed Gonzalo Higuain is not injured, merely dropped for the Derby della Mole with Torino.

It kicks off at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), follow the action from all three of today’s Serie A games on the LIVEBLOG.

Pipita was surprisingly on the bench and did not take part in the warm-up with the other substitutes at the Juventus Allianz Stadium.

Juventus director Beppe Marotta confirmed Gonzalo Higuain is not injured, merely dropped for the Derby della Mole with Torino.

It kicks off at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), follow the action from all three of today’s Serie A games on the LIVEBLOG.

Pipita was surprisingly on the bench and did not take part in the warm-up with the other substitutes at the Juventus Allianz Stadium.

“It is absolutely a technical decision, you can call it squad rotation, as the Coach is aware of the capabilities of these players and chose this XI without Higuain,” Marotta told Mediaset Premium.

“Last season Juventus had 57 competitive games, so there has to be some rotation. Higuain is not in ideal form right now, so it’s only right that he is allowed to rest and recuperate, while others are given a chance.

“The derby is always a separate entity from the rest of the season and therefore very difficult to predict. It is always a passionate and aggressive affair, but we still want to bring home the three points.

“Serie A is not like the Champions League, it’s more of a cycling race where you have to be in front at the end. Juve must focus on victory, weekend by weekend, aware that there are determined opponents, but ultimately destiny is in our hands.”

Douglas Costa and Blaise Matuidi are in the starting XI, but Federico Bernardeschi can barely get any game time.

“Every player has specific characteristics, including the ability to settle and adapt quickly. Matuidi adapted very fast to his new team and fortunately, because we’re missing Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira, so it’s only natural Matuidi has to play consistently. He also plays because he is a midfielder of quality with international experience.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tickets Kit Collector