This night, Thiago Motta and Daniele De Rossi will cross paths on the sidelines when Juventus and Roma lock horns on the Allianz Stadium.
The 2 males are among the many youngest managers in Serie A. They have been additionally teammates within the Italian nationwide staff just a few years again.
Their time collectively on the Azzurri included an notorious incident the place De Rossi staunchly defended the then-Paris Saint-Germain midfielder in opposition to critics within the media.
This dates again to 2016 when Motta was handed the Azzurri’s iconic Quantity 10 jersey.
“Whoever enjoys ridiculing Thiago on the net ought to come and play with him, then rinse his mouth,” thundered De Rossi on the time, remembers La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“He’s somebody who has received all the pieces, who has absolute expertise on the worldwide stage. On a technical standpoint, nobody right here deserves the quantity 10 greater than him.
“In fact, when it comes to traits, he’s not a Totti, a Baggio or a Del Piero, however everybody should be themselves.
“Shirt numbers are vital if you end up younger, they’re frivolous issues, then there may be superstition.
“I additionally had the quantity 10 within the nationwide staff, I took it, with out wanting it, for a geopolitical purpose.
“Thiago didn’t select this shirt, he accepted it, as a result of he’s made like me, it definitely was not his dream, however he accepted it as a result of he’s somebody who by no means creates issues.”
Motta didn’t neglect the Roman’s stance, alluding to it in yesterday’s pre-match press convention.
“Daniele is somebody who is aware of how you can go in opposition to standard opinion, because it occurred once they gave me the quantity 10 within the nationwide staff, and he, going in opposition to everybody, gave a special opinion.
“He may have prevented it, however as a substitute he did it and I’m grateful to him each for the teammate he was and since he defended me in a troublesome second.
“That is Daniele, for this reason he’s in an important membership like Roma. So I thank him as soon as once more.”
Motta was born and raised in Brazil, however finally declared for Italy on the senior stage. He made his Azzurri debut in 2011, and went on to garner 30 caps.
