Leonardo Bonucci says Juventus are approaching the Derby D’Italia ‘full of motivation’ and believes the match ‘inspires great feelings.’

Speaking to JTV ahead of the game, Bonucci discussed the importance of the game against Inter Milan as well as the upcoming Champions League matches in February and March.

“I’m in a good condition, though of course these last couple of days have been intense as we charge our batteries to end the season as protagonists, like always,” said the defender.

“We’re coming into the game the way we have to, full of motivation.We closed the year with a defeat [against Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana] and when you’re playing for Juventus it’s never good to lose a trophy.

“We must start again strong, and the upcoming Derby d’Italia inspires great feelings in the tifosi – but we feel it even more strongly, because we must continue the positive streak that made us the League’s protagonists of the last few years. And of course we must keep our distance with Roma.”

Juventus have been drawn against Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 of the Champions League with the first match to be played in Turin.

“Borussia are a great team, we mustn’t be fooled by their current standing in the League.

“In any case we’re aware of having grown over the last few months as a team, even at a European level, especially in the concentration and the handling of the games.

“This two-legged match against Borussia will tell us the level that Juventus have reached. What’s certain is that we’ll play two great matches and we’ll focus on the target of qualifying to the next turn.

“In the championship, if you take away the path that we’re following in parallel with Roma, we have a balanced situation in the middle of the standings.

“This means that every game could be hiding dangers. We’ll have to be careful never to lower our guards and always closing the games, because as the match against Sampdoria proved, any missed opportunity results in points dropped along the road and this must not happen. Every game has to be finished with three points in the bag.”