Del Piero disagreement with Tudor: ‘Juventus need fire, but organisation too’

Alessandro Del Piero is not entirely convinced by Igor Tudor’s pre-match statements against Real Madrid. ‘Juventus need to be organised, have tactical ideas and also fire.’

It kicks off at the Estadio Bernabeu at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Atalanta-Slavia Prague on the Liveblog.

The mood in the Bianconeri camp is negative after a month without a victory in all competition, managing five consecutive stalemates and a 2-0 defeat to Como.

In his comments on Sky Sport Italia, coach Tudor insisted that tactics “don’t count for much” and neither does the starting XI, preferring to focus on mentality and desire to win.

This wasn’t entirely what Juve icon Del Piero had in mind when standing on the turf of the Estadio Bernabeu.

“I’m not sure it’s right to say all you need is heart or mentality, these are games that prepare themselves because you are in this stadium and against Real Madrid, so don’t need to fire up the team for that,” Del Piero told Sky Sport Italia, where he is working as a pundit.

“You need to be organised, have tactical ideas and keep everything to the max, including the fire. At times, this Juventus is missing that fire. You need that desire to do something more, and it’s not just about the players. You can study opponents and your own teams in pre-season, but you need that too.”

There are reports that Tudor will soon be fired, following in the footsteps of predecessor Thiago Motta.

“The situation we are seeing is very similar to last season, so it worries me that we are seeing this repetition in performances. Como are a quality team and deserve praise, but Juventus should’ve had a different attitude in that match. I feel the vision ought to be expanded to tactics, physicality, and also this fire that the players need every time they want to pull on that shirt. Juventus need players who all think like this, in my view.”

Del Piero was asked by Fabio Capello if he feels this Juventus team has the quality it takes to surprise Real Madrid, but his response was not hopeful.

“Real Madrid need only 10-15 minutes to win a game in this stadium, with the talent at their disposal. Juventus need to play at the maximum for 90 minutes to just emerge well from this match, not even to win or draw, but to show what they are capable of. It can give them the push needed to believe that by playing like that, they can get results against anyone.

“Juventus have in the past used nights like this to give themselves that boost going forward and I hope it will be another of those, although to be perfectly honest, I’m not feeling that right now.”

Kenan Yildiz is wearing the captain’s armband here and the Number 10 jersey, following in the footsteps of his hero, Del Piero.

“I’d tell him he is here with that armband because he deserves it. He should play the way we knows, as he can do marvellous things with this team. He has a share of responsibility, he doesn’t need more piled onto his shoulders, because it weighs down a player who is all about creativity and imagination, that is how he can hurt Real Madrid.”