Giorgio Chiellini said Gonzalo Higuain “is saving his goals” for the Napoli game and Juventus are motivated by criticism.
It’s first against third on Saturday evening in Turin and a repeat of last season’s Scudetto showdown, but also the reunion of Higuain with his former teammates.
“Gonzalo hasn’t scored for four games, but he’s just saving his goals for Saturday,” smiled Chiellini on Sky Sport Italia.
Giorgio Chiellini said Gonzalo Higuain “is saving his goals” for the Napoli game and Juventus are motivated by criticism.
It’s first against third on Saturday evening in Turin and a repeat of last season’s Scudetto showdown, but also the reunion of Higuain with his former teammates.
“Gonzalo hasn’t scored for four games, but he’s just saving his goals for Saturday,” smiled Chiellini on Sky Sport Italia.
“It is going to be an unusual match. It might be a bit strange for them to have Higuain as an opponent after so many years. He is relaxed and we play so often now there’s no time to consider situations too carefully.
“It’ll be different for him, having experienced Napoli so intensely, but he is a professional and will know how to face the situation.
“Will Higuain celebrate if he scores a goal? That doesn’t really interest me, the important thing is that he scores.”
Chiellini got his name on the scoresheet with a brace in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Sampdoria.
“It hadn’t happened for a couple of years, when playing for Italy. Every now and then the positive day arrives and I try to make the most of it.
“I am a defender, so the most important thing for me is to not concede a goal and to get the victory. If the personal joy of a goal arrives, it’s welcome, but always sits in the background.”
Juventus are two points clear at the top of the table from Roma, while Napoli are third followed by Milan and Lazio. Who does Chiellini fear the most?
“The expectations have more or less been maintained and the teams we expected to be up there are. It’s still early, we’ve only had 10 rounds, and last season we proved that unthinkable targets can be achieved.
“Criticism is part of the game in Italy, especially for a side that people expect so much from. Important players arrived and everyone thinks we’ll win easily, but that’s not what Serie A is like. From the start of the season we only got two games wrong and everyone who faces Juventus gives 120 per cent.
“This all has to act as further motivation for us. We just need to continue along this path.”