Claudio Marchisio calls Andrea Belotti ‘the striker Juventus are missing’ and backs Paulo Dybala to ‘become an icon here and win the Champions League’.
Belotti will face Juve in the Derby della Mole later, leading the line in Torino’s attack, and Marchisio believes his former club should make an audacious attempt to sign the Granata captain.
“He’s the striker Juve are missing, especially now that Higuain still hasn’t truly rediscovered his form,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“However, I doubt that someone like him would accept becoming Bianconero. He and Izzo embody the Toro spirit.
“They have to push the group to get them back on their feet and finish the season differently to how they’re performing right now.
“It’s harder to make a name for yourself at Juve, where their defenders and attackers are doing well: Dybala doesn’t surprise me and Douglas Costa can break a game open.
“Juve have class and elegance, Toro have great character and never give up. Sarri’s team come into the game in good form and must take advantage of the opportunity to win points before playing Atalanta and Lazio.
“Torino, however, can’t afford not to give their all. I expected them to do great things under [owner Urbano] Cairo and they were, even if team are going through a difficult time of it right now.
As someone from Turin, I hope to see them in the Champions League soon, adopting the Atalanta model.”
Dybala continues to divide some fans, despite kicking on under Maurizio Sarri this season, so where does his ex-teammate stand?
“His class is unquestionable, he’s one of the purest talents in world football. Those who criticise him don’t understand football.
“He has an excellent relationship with the club. I hope he becomes an icon here and does what I failed to do: win the Champions League.”
The Old Lady have exchanged Miralem Pjanic for Arthur Melo, but the 34-year-old maintains Barcelona are signing ‘one of the best midfielders in Europe’.
“I don’t know Arthur that well, but if Juve signed him it means he’s good enough for them.
“Pjanic is one of the best midfielders in Europe. He put the team on his shoulders at the start of the season and he can do that at Barcelona too.”