Adrian Mutu knows better than most what the Derby d’Italia means, having worn both the Juventus and Inter shirts during his career. The former striker, who scored 11 goals in nearly 50 appearances for the Bianconeri, spoke to Tuttosport (as quoted by ilbianconero) ahead of Saturday’s clash. He offered his views on the differences between the two clubs, Juventus’ new attacking depth, and the impact of Igor Tudor.
“At Juventus Everything is Organised”
Reflecting on his time at both clubs, Mutu highlighted the special environment he experienced upon joining Juventus:
“You could say the impact was different. At Juventus, the first days were unique because you immediately realise the weight of the shirt. In Turin everything is organised and structured. They never leave anything to chance.”
“Juventus More Complete, Inter More Automated”
Comparing the current squads, Mutu stressed that Juventus have reached a new level of attacking options:
“I believe that Juve now have more solutions compared to a year ago. They can change players and characteristics, but they don’t lose effectiveness because of it. I would say Juventus are more complete, whereas Inter seem more automated.”
“Openda is a Real Signing, Zhegrova is Different from All Others”
Mutu reserved particular praise for Juventus’ new arrivals. On Belgian forward Lois Openda, he was emphatic:
“Openda is a real signing. He will give depth, speed. And it’s not true that he only plays on the counterattack – he is also capable of combining with teammates.”
On Edon Zhegrova, Mutu pointed out his unpredictability:
“He is a talent who can unlock a game with one move. He remains a far more anarchic player, but if he finds consistency, then he becomes a weapon different from all the others in Serie A.”
On Tudor’s Juventus
Finally, Mutu assessed the work of coach Igor Tudor since taking charge of the Bianconeri:
“He has brought intensity, more aggression in winning the ball back. I see a team trying to control matches more, not just waiting. His imprint is already visible. The next step is to turn that imprint into a real identity, and for that more time will necessarily be needed.”
