Alessandro Del Piero has warned his Juventus team-mates they face a real test against Manchester City.
Veteran knows what to expect from big-spending opponents
Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero has warned his team-mates that they face a real test against Manchester City.
The pair clash in their Europa League group game at Eastlands on Thursday, with the vastly experienced veteran still a big part of manager Luigi Del Neri's plans.
Del Piero has seen it all in his career, with a glittering array of honours to his name and having played in some of the best Juventus teams in recent memory.
Several clashes with City's local rivals Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have come Del Piero's way in his time at the Bianconeri, but with his team going through a transitional period, much like their opponents, the 35-year-old was wary of the threat Roberto Mancini's side pose.
"Manchester City are in excellent shape and it will be very hard for us. It always is when you are in England," said Del Piero.
Beginning
"They have invested heavily and one of the reasons they can be successful is that they have a great squad of players."
"We have a good base to build on and are at the beginning of a journey. Hopefully our results will improve as time goes on."
Juventus face a big game against Inter on Sunday, however Del Neri insisted he was only focused on the clash with City.
He said: "I am only interested in tomorrow not the following match. We will see then if we have improved.
"A new team always make mistakes. You not only need to fix the problems but
also to focus on what you do well."
