Thiago Motta said Juventus' main focus was on improving players' form, rather than the return of Napoli head coach Antonio Conte. (More Football News)
Conte will be back at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday for the first time as Napoli boss, having enjoyed a trophy-laden career at ൩Juve as both a player and a manager.
As a player, he made 419 appearances, winning 12 titles, while as their head coach♎, he led Juven꧒tus to three consecutive Serie A titles.
Juventus started the campaign with two wins bu𒆙t were then held by R💧oma and Empoli, while Conte's side are on a three-game winning streak, sitting in second.
Motta's side did,𒆙 however, return to winning ways in the Champions League in midweek, b൩eating PSV 3-1.
Conte said he was relishing his return to Turin, but Motta did not dwell on the nostalgia 🧜of the occasion a🔯s he aims to get back to winning ways.
"You are too focused on Conte and me," Mot💮ta told🎶 reporters on Friday. "Tomorrow it's Juventus-Napoli. Players are the protagonists, and we hope that our footballers will show their worth as always, bringing the game where we want."
Motta played under Conte at🔯 Euro 2016 and said he has a great relationship with his former coac🍬h. They have met as managers only once, back in 2019 when Conte was in charge at Inter and Motta managed Genoa.
Napoli won the title in﷽ 2023 but finished mid-table last season, 41 points behind cham꧒pions Inter, while also failing to qualify for Europe.
" di༒r="ltr" lang="en" p="">Mar▨io's last brace in coming at Napoli's expense
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen)
But Motta said Conte's comparatively well-rested side are built to win the Sc💟udetto this term.
“They are a strong team, and they’ve made changes this season built 🐟to aim for the highest and to win [the league]," Motta added.
"I don't know if it’s an advantage not to be playing in European competitions. The calendar is this 🧔one for us. We have to go and face teams game afte🌟r game."
The 42-year-old add꧋ed that striker Dusan Vlahovic, who was visibly upset after missing chances against PSV, is improving.
"[He] must always 🦂have the ambition to improve, just like everyone else, starting with me. His play alongside the team is improving," he said.
Motta confirmed that centre-back Federico Gatti, who sustained a minor injury against PSV, will be available on Saturday, while fo🍎rward Francisco Conceicao remains sidelined.
