Totti: "We will win"

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Roma's unrepentant Francesco Totti has refused to back down over his war of words with rivals Juventus, blasting "I will say what I want". With just three days to go before his team clash with Juve at the Stadio Olympico feelings are obviously running hi

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"I will speak," he said. "I will say what I want. It is not for others to give me advice. I have my own mind and I will reason as I choose."
The Roma talisman and Italian international left the Azzurri training camp last week with a minor injury and has since recovered in time to be fit for Saturday's game. He has also confirmed his vitriolic feelings towards Fabio Capello, who he accused of not "being a true person" early this week.
"I say the things that I believe are true and I can confirm what I said (about Capello)," he snapped.
With the talismanic 29-year-old being fit and in-form for a potentially bad-tempered game in Rome, he is confident of beating Capello's team.
"We will definitely win" he finished.
COOL JUVE
In stark contrast Juventus, the Italian champions, are doing their best to defuse tensions in the build-up to the game.
Vice-President Roberto Bettega said that Totti should concentrate on his football and keep his thoughts to himself.
Also, Fabio Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram have tried to play down any ill-feeling ahead of the match on Saturday night.
"We are a big side," said French defender Thuram. "We manage to keep our concentration on the pitch, as big sides should do."
"We don't need controversy," he added. "Roma can do what they want but we are concentrating on the Scudetto."
In the past, Roma have been known to suffer from occasional discipline problems in big, highly charged games. Totti himself was sent off for a needless clash of heads with Argentinean playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron in last month's clash with Inter Milan in the San Siro.
"The match will be difficult because they have players like Totti and Antonio Cassano," said the Juve full-back. "Let's just hope they respect the rules of the game and that they don't adopt a bad attitude which can affect the crowd."
Last season Juventus managed a league double over Roma, but with the capital-based team currently in a rich vein of form, this season could see a change of fortunes.
DI VAIO STILL INTER-ESTED
After claiming in yesterday's press that he had no interest in leaving La Liga outfit Valencia, Marco Di Vaio would now appear to be interested in a move to Inter Milan.
In previous releases he has said that his problems were not personal in nature, but rather to do with the tactics employed in Spanish football. However, in truth, the fact is that the 29-year-old is not currently seeing any first-team action under Valencia coach Antonio Lopez.
"Inter would be a superb option and a positive break in my career," he told television channel 7 Gold. "I've been close to signing for them on several occasions but it never quite happened."
In August, the Spanish side seemed prepared to loan Di Vaio to Inter with an option to buy the player for just &euro5.5 million.
Unfortunately, the sparkling form of Chievo's Victor Obinna in this early part of the season seems to have scuppered his chances moving to the blue side of Turin. The Nigerian is currently on loan from Inter and many think this spell may be ended in January, especially as Obafemi Martins leaves for African Cup Duty in February.
It's not all doom and gloom for Di Vaio though. AC Milan are also rumoured to be monitoring his progress, with Christian Vieri likely to move back to Spain in the transfer window. The Valencia outcast may get his move to the San Siro after all.
IN BRIEF
Italian national coach Marcello Lippi has urged caution ahead of Italy's clash with the Ivory Coast today, being "struck by their natural ability"...Lazio's Delio Rossi thinks his team can record their first away win of the season when they travel to Sampdoria at the weekend...Brazil's Nelson Dida confident of success for Milan as they approach critical games away to Fiorentina, and then Fenerbahce in the Champions League.
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