Team Talk : against Cagliari

Tiago handed Cagliari role
Saturday 2 February, 2008

Tiago Mendes will start against Cagliari on Sunday after it was confirmed that Momo Sissoko wouldn’t be immediately thrown into the Juventus midfield.

The January arrival from Liverpool was expected to be handed a place in the side following his early return from the African Cup of Nations.

However, Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri is keen for the Mali international to be gradually introduced to the Serie A landscape.

“Tiago will play,” he said when asked who would fill in for the suspended Cristiano Zanetti. “Sissoko has just arrived and he needs time to settle, even if he could come off the bench.

“Sissoko is in good form and knowing the training methods of Rafa Benitez at Liverpool, I know that the boy has been looked after.”

Ranieri’s reluctance to instantly use Sissoko will give Tiago another chance to shine after his disappointing showings since his £9.2m summer move.

“We still believe in him and he has five months to show us the quality that we are all aware that he has,” continued the Roman.

“The Italian championship is a hard one. He has the characteristics and the experience to do well, but he’s found difficulties. That needs to be accepted and we need to help him express himself.

“Why did we buy Sissoko? So that we could have two quality central midfielders like Tiago and Zanetti, as well as two men of substance such as Sissoko and Antonio Nocerino.

“Momo is just 23, but he’s already done so much. He’s won in England and Spain and I hope he does well in Italy too.”

Turning to tomorrow’s Olimpico test, Ranieri admitted that he’s unsure whether Mauro Camoranesi will feature after his recent injury complaints.

“I’ll have to speak to him,” noted the former Chelsea boss. “I’ve already been burnt once, I don’t want to risk that again.

“He seemed fit and healthy the last time he returned from injury and then he unexpectedly picked up the same problem again.”

Ranieri, who will be without the injured Gigi Buffon, then called for his troops to focus on Cagliari even if the Fiorentina-Milan game could favour the Old Lady this weekend.

“We need to think about ourselves and Cagliari,” Ranieri added. “They are a determined side and the League table is not telling the whole truth.

“They were very concentrated against Napoli and I thought they deserved the win. We can’t take anything for granted as we saw in the first game when we won despite the way we played.”

Juventus probable: Belardi; Salihamidzic, Grygera, Legrottaglie, Molinaro; Palladino [Camoranesi], Nocerino, Tiago, Nedved; Del Piero, Trezeguet


(channel4)