Lazio's Veron Sends Warning to Juventus
MILAN, Italy (March 31, 2000 11:47 a.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - Lazio's midfield star Juan Sebastian Veron warned Juventus on Friday that he was ready to beat it single-handedly in this weekend's crucial championship match.
Veron is on a roll after scoring the winner in last weekend's derby against AS Roma and bagging two more in Argentina's 4-1 win over Chile in a 2002 World Cup qualifier in midweek.
Now he wants to use that form in Turin on Saturday night, when Lazio tries to halve Juventus' lead to three points and throw the Serie A championship wide open again.
Juventus, which is coming off a 2-0 defeat to AC Milan, will be in big trouble if it loses a second time in eight days.
"I say that we can win it, and that if we do, they'll go to pieces," Veron told the Gazzetta dello Sport from Buenos Aires.
"They'll start to tremble and they'll lose control of the situation.
"To know that they've seen six points go up in smoke in two matches is enough to put the frighteners on anyone... I think they'd still be afraid if it finished up as a draw," he said.
"But if we won, they really would be in trouble.
"The team with something to lose is Juventus. We can only do well. We'll have to be careful and study what is happening - and then strike. Without mercy."
As for who could deliver that blow, Veron said: "I scored the winner in the derby and scored ... in the World Cup qualifiers. Perhaps I can keep this run going and score again in Turin - another winner.
"Lazio have a lot of players who can get goals. But if, to win, we need someone to pull off something extraordinary, then I'm ready."
Veron was playing with two of his club teammates against Chile -
midfielders Diego Simeone and Nestor Sensini - and he dismissed any notion of Lazio suffering on Saturday from jet-lag after their victory in Buenos Aires.
"Matches like this one are good for your morale," he said. "Simeone, Sensini and I looked each other in the eye and we knew that winning had done us good. Victory gives you heart and beats fatigue.
"On the plane back, we'll already be preparing for the match against Juventus," he said. "This is another Lazio. And if jet lag gives us adrenalin - let's use it to beat Juventus."
