Palermo vs Juventus preview - Miccoli prepared for Juve battle

Posted Saturday, April 07, 2012 by PA

Palermo captain Fabrizio Miccoli admits his team face a mighty challenge when they host Scudetto contenders Juventus having to do without a host of players.

The Sicilian giants go into the encounter at La Favorita without seven players through injuries and suspension.

"For the first time I don't have a good feeling heading into a game against Juventus," Miccoli said.

"I don't want us to give a bad image but it will be very difficult considering the number of players that are missing."

Palermo coach Bortolo Mutti will be forced to make wholesale changes to the team that won 3-1 at Bologna in the last round - their first win on the road this season.

Defender Andrea Mantovani, midfielders Nicolas Bertolo and Massimo Donati as well as striker Abel Hernandez are all suspended.

To add to Palermo's woes, defenders Federico Balzaretti and Matias Silvestre are out injured.

However, Mutti does not want to rule out his team's chances.

"We will not go into the game with a losing mentality," said Mutti, whose side sit 10th in the standings. "Of course, it doesn't help when you face a team like Juventus to be without a lot of players but we will try to give our best."

Juventus coach Antonio Conte will have all of his players available for the trip to Sicily.

The Bianconeri are still unbeaten this season and won 3-0 over Napoli last weekend.

The result followed their 2-0 triumph over Inter Milan and allowed the Turin giants to reduce the gap with leaders AC Milan to just two points.

"To be just two points behind the league leaders with eight games remaining gives my team and our fans strength and courage," Conte said.

"In the last two weeks we have achieved important wins against Inter Milan and Napoli, two sides that at the start of the campaign were considered to be superior to us.

"I can only thank my players, who have done something extraordinary."