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Football | Italy

Antonio Conte © Reuters Images

Barzagli cannot wait for Conte return



Saturday's Turin derby comes too soon but Juventus players are eagerly anticipating the return to the dugout of banned coach Antonio Conte next month.

Conte has been suspended from matchday duties so far this season for his part in a match-fixing scandal at former club Siena and defender Andrea Barzagli says his return on December 9 will help them turn their recent shaky form around.

"It is not easy to play so many matches without a coach of his temperament, someone who knows how to drag us along," Barzagli told Italy's Corriere dello Sport newspaper on Friday.

"(Assistant managers) Massimo Carrera and Angelo Alessio are good, but having the coach there is something completely different."

The league leaders and defending Serie A champions will miss injured attacking midfielder Arturo Vidal, who is set to be replaced by Paul Pogba, but otherwise are at full strength for the home game with Torino (1945 GMT).

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