Juventus Boss Puts Trust in Zidane
Copyright � 2000 Nando Media
Copyright � 2000 Agence France-Presse
TURIN, Italy (January 11, 2000 8:50 a.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - Coach Carlo Ancelotti reckons that Zinedine Zidane can win the championship for Juventus this season, after the Frenchman's outstanding performance at the weekend.
Rated 7.5 out of 10 by a rapturous Italian press for his role in a 1-1 draw at Parma, Zidane played perhaps his best match since winning the World Cup final for France in July 1998.
The feat was not lost on Ancelotti, who took over the club in February last year and has coaxed them back towards the top of Italian soccer, with the help of Filippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Del Piero.
"The key to the match was the work of the attackers, and in particular Zidane, who was given space and who took full adavntage of it," Ancelotti told reporters here.
"But Zidane was also able to create a great deal because Del Piero and Inzaghi were making all the right moves."
And he summed up: "I think I saw the best Juventus performance since I came to Turin, and that includes the victory over AC Milan. It's a very important achievement."
As for Zidane, he said: "I've had lots of 'phone calls from people who were thrilled at the way he played. 'Zizou' was super on Sunday. When he plays like that, he takes the match in hand and the whole team benefit.
"Last season, he wasn't in shape physically. But if he keeps on playing like this, you may as well call the rest of the championship off."
Zidane is also convinced of his team's chances this season, despite the bitter frustration of having thrown away two points by conceding an injury-time equaliser on Sunday.
"It's true, I was very angry," he said. "Losing two points when you're playing against a team who only have nine men is hard to swallow.
"But you always have to look at the positive side when things go wrong. And the match against Parma showed one very important thing - that if we keep playing like this, we will finish up winning something big."
Ancelotti's men are still in the UEFA and Italian Cup tournaments, as well as lying just one point behind league leaders Lazio after swapping places at the weekend.
"We got confirmation that we can win the championship," Zidane said. "We played the game we wanted to play. And all we needed was a second goal."
