Derby day holds no fears for new boy Dossena

THE Liverpool derby can be daunting prospect for any player let alone a newcomer, but Andrea Dossena is no stranger to needle matches.

His first-team debut for Verona, the club where he’d been since schoolboy days, was in front of 40,000 baying fans against local rivals Chievo, who had just been promoted to the top division for the first time in their history.

Verona won that match 3-2 from two goals down, but for the club it was the start of a decline that has since taken them to the third division, while Dossena has moved on to better things — first at Udinese and now at Liverpool.