Juventus-Roma Clash Has Key Serie A Ramifications
Copyright � 2000 Nando Media
Copyright � 2000 Agence France-Presse
ROME (February 24, 2000 7:27 p.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - Juventus faces a stiff test in the shape of Roma on Sunday as the Zebras bid to move further ahead of the field in the Serie A. It is a match neither team dare lose.
Juve has reigning champions AC Milan breathing down its necks three points behind and could find itself overhauled should Milan win at second-bottom Cagliari.
Roma has a double incentive to claim a win in Turin. Not only would it cut the gap on the leaders to two points but it could also potentially leapfrog city rivals Lazio, currently a point ahead of it.
Lazio is in action Saturday afternoon at home to mid-table Udinese.
With only seven points separating the top five, the destination of the 'Scudetto' trophy is up for grabs.
Juve's parsimonious defence has boosted its cause as so far they have conceded just 10 goals in 22 outings. The club's weakness comes in attack, with just 31 goals scored to Milan and Roma's 48 apiece.
Unbeaten at home to date, Juve hopes that French World Cup-winning midfielder Zinedine Zidane will show the kind of form he did for France in midweek, when he was on target in a 1-0 win over Poland.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted that he was confident Juventus would not stumble in the heat of the moment as it prepares for one of its most important games of the season.
"We will not be handing out any presents. A win at this stage of the season counts double. And Juve have always made the important rendezvous on time. I am very confident," he insisted.
Juve has tasted only one defeat all season.
Roma is similarly not short on confidence after underlining its
credentials by thrashing Fiorentina 4-0 last week.
Fabio Capello's side is chasing a fifth away success, having lost three times on its travels.
Roma will welcome back playmaker Francesco Totti, who missed the Fiorentina match with injury and will play him just behind Vincenzo Montella, fresh from last week's hat-trick.
Milan moved up to second last week with a 2-1 success over Lazio and should not trip up against Cagliari.
Lazio has to get over that defeat by securing three points against Udinese at the Olympic Stadium.
Udinese thrashed Bari 5-1 last week and will feel it could snatch a draw, having already picked up four away wins in a solid season on its travels.
Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti claimed after the loss at Milan that his side were still well in the hunt, telling reporters in midweek: "The defeat to Milan hasn't decided anything, it's only stopped Lazio momentarily."
Other matches see Parma face Fiorentina on Saturday night while
fifth-placed Inter Milan, still having to survive without Ronaldo, undergoing rehabilitation work in Brazil, meet third-bottom Venezia on Sunday.
