Iuliano Keen to Keep Del Piero
Tuesday 28th November 2000
Juventus defender Mark Iuliano has given team-mate Alessandro Del Piero a
boost ahead of Sunday's game against Internazionale by saying he would
rather have him in his side than Alvaro Recoba.
Del Piero and Inter's Recoba have been the subject of transfer rumours in
Italy linking them in a swap deal. But Iuliano knows who he would rather
have in his side.
He said: "Recoba is one of the most talented players in Italy but I don't
believe that he is as skilful as Del Piero. In his career Alessandro has
showed a lot of marvellous things and won cups and Scudettos. Recoba still
has a lot of things to do to reach Del Piero's level."
The vote of confidence comes just days after Del Piero was dropped for the
first time this season for Sunday's game against Verona.
But Iuliano believes the striker will bounce back. "It's useful to be seated
on the bench sometimes. Last season, for example, I had a bad period and I
accepted Marcello Lippi's decision to put me among the substitutes.
"Zoran Mirkovic played very well and he was an example for me. I began to
grow up, in the head and on the field, since that day. And Del Piero now
trains every day more determined than before."
