Mancini expects Juve battle

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Mancini expects Juve battle

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Roberto Mancini is ready to face Juventus in Thursday’s Trofeo Tim and believes it will be anything but a summer friendly.

The two teams met in Naples earlier this month when the Bianconeri won the Birra Moretti Trophy, and tomorrow’s match will be the last Derby d’Italia for at least a year.

"There are no friendly matches any more, aside from the ones you play against the local teams in the first period of pre-season training,â€￾ said Mancini on Wednesday.

“All the other matches are no longer friendlies because you're always playing good teams and trying to do your best.

“Tomorrow’s tournament [which also includes Milan] will be useful for those who didn't have a chance to play the Super Cup Final on Saturday,â€￾ said Mancio.

“We will try out different things and look at a few players in different positions.â€￾

Juventus beat Mancio’s boys 1-0 in the Moretti earlier in August, but maintains that nothing has changed despite the Bianconeri’s demotion.

“I don’t feel anything in particular about tomorrow’s match against Juve. We already played against them at the Birra Moretti Trophy and on many occasions in the past,â€￾ he added.

“Perhaps the only strange thing will be to see them without the many greats they had, but they still have some world champions and other good players like Pavel Nedved on their side.â€￾

Mancini also mirrored the faith owner Massimo Moratti has in under-performing striker Adriano for the season ahead.

“I think that Moratti has always said what he thinks of Adriano, in many different ways,â€￾ Mancio noted.

“And the team, all his Coaches and the fans have always done the same. We all agree that we must have faith in Adriano.â€￾

Inter will play Juventus and Milan in 45-minute matches at the San Siro on Thursday, even if a host of players will be absent from all three sides because of international commitments

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