It’s the first time the charismatic Chilean has played at Carrow Road since departing for Suffolk last summer, in a move which sent shockwaves through East Anglian football.
He will certainly be the target of much ire from the home fans this weekend, especially given the way he celebrated Town’s long-awaited win in the clash at Portman Road back in October.
But O’Shea has absolutely no worries about the expected vitriol throwing Nunez off his game.
Marcelino Nunez enjoys the win over Norwich with fans (Image: Steve Waller)
“He’s been fine,” he stressed. “Marcelino is just Marcelino. He doesn’t change. That boy, just fair play to him. He just cracks on. He’s himself.
“Of course, he’s going to have a bit of hatred towards him and whatnot and he understands that himself.
“He’s not stupid to think that he wouldn’t. And us as a group understand that a lot of the stuff is going to be towards him and that’s football.
“This is football, do you know what I mean? It’s what makes the game great as well, is having the passion and the rivalries.
“And obviously, he’s stepped over the other side of the line and he’s come to us. So, I think he knows himself that it’s going to be a big game.
“He’s going to get lots of stuff. And I’m sure, as his personality goes, I don’t think many things affect him in that way. So, I’m sure he’ll be totally fine.”
Asked to expand on Nunez as a character, O’Shea continued: “Nacho, we all call him Nacho here.
“He’s great. To be fair, he’s just smiling all the time. I think as a person, the boys love him. Everyone gets on great with him.
“I think maybe he taps into not knowing English sometimes, just maybe not to speak to you, which is quite funny.
“And you can see how much obviously the fans love him. But you can’t really probably see as much as we love him as a group as well.
“I think the energy he brings to us is something different. He’s a character like not that we really have. We don’t really have many other characters like him in the group.
“I think everybody loves him for what he is and who he is. And just how he cracks on, he just keeps going. I think the quality he has as well as a player is unbelievable.
“Some of the things he can do with the football are amazing. And I think he makes us a better team at times with how he copes with that too. But he’s a hard one to kind of describe as a character.
“I think once you know Nacho, you know Nacho and that stuff. But now we’re really happy to have him and he’s a great addition to the group.”
Dara O’Shea is looking forward to derby day (Image: Steve Waller)
He concluded: “I think when you make that move, you kind of have to maybe not be scared. And I think he’s already done that.
“So I’m not sure he’ll be too fazed but I think he’ll understand the magnitude of the game.
“But I think the character he has and how he is, I don’t think he’ll be too taken back with that.”
Asked if, as skipper, he might ask Nunez to tone down his exuberance, O’Shea was clear.
“I want to let the boys be themselves,” he insisted. “I think it’s great for the lads to have personalities.
“As long as their energy is being used in a positive way, I think it’s amazing and it’s great.
“I don’t think anybody should be kind of taken back for what they are. And he’s great at what he is and he’s great at who he is.
“So I think we’re all proud of him as a group.”