Carrera: 'I'm doing Conte's work'

Massimo Carrera hopes to maintain his 100 per cent record when filling in for Antonio Conte as Juventus take on Parma, but aimed another sideswipe at Walter Mazzarri.

The stand-in Coach has won all three of his games so far on the Bianconeri bench while Conte fights the 10-month ban for failing to report a potential fix to authorities while at Siena.

“I will be nervous, but only up to the opening whistle,” said Carrera of his Serie A management debut tomorrow evening.

“From that point I will focus only on the game against an important side who we want to beat. Parma have changed a few players from last season, but still play in the same way. During the last training session we’ll study how to put them under pressure.”

While Carrera is nominally the Coach on the bench, Conte continues to train the Juve squad on a day-to-day basis, as this is not included in his ban.

Curiously, Juventus also opened their season at home to Parma last year, going unbeaten to win the Serie A title.

“Antonio charges the team up during the week. After all, even with veteran champions there is still the need for the odd piece of advice and I will try, thanks also to my experience as a player, to be helpful. Fortunately I am dealing with a squad of men who understand the situation.

“What happens off the field does not trouble us,” continued Carrera after Conte’s appeal was rejected this week.

“I am not Antonio, but they know I am carrying out his work and listen to me as if I were him. He is a great Coach and has already proved that, but I will try to ensure he’s not missed too much.

“Last season people said Juventus were favoured because we didn’t have to play in the Champions League. That role ought to belong to other teams now... We will try to repeat what happened last season.”

Carrera won the Italian Super Cup against Napoli and engaged in a bitter row with Coach Mazzarri. The Juventus stand-in boss added to the tension during today’s Press conference.

“Mazzarri? I wish him well, that he may win as much as I did in my playing career.”