Montero Found Guilty After Trial By TV
Monday 4th December 2000
Juventus defender Paolo Montero, left, was banned for three matches on
Monday after the Italian FA consulted video footage that showed he had
punched Inter midfielder Luigi Di Biagio during Sunday's 2-2 draw.
The cameras caught the Uruguayan international striking out at Di Biagio
during the second half of the match but the incident was missed by referee
Stefano Braschi and Montero escaped immediate punishment. The suspension was
announced on Monday after the Italian FA had reviewed the incident using
footage from the game.
Paolo Montero played down the incident. "Di Biagio says I punched him? Well,
let's go and play volleyball together then," the former Penarol and Atalanta
defender said.
Italian international midfielder Di Biagio responded by questioning Montero'
s intelligence: "His words confirm what they told me in the changing-rooms -
that he's not the cleverest of people."
Juventus manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to condone his player's actions but
added that it was perhaps not as bad as has been made out.
"Montero didn't really punch Di Biagio who reacted to a foul," he said. "He
didn't do any damage but I don't want to justify what he did."
The Italian Football League has been using video footage in
its disciplinary hearings since the start of last season.
At the end of last night's encounter both mangers also found time to comment
on events in Milan.
After seeing his side let slip a two-goal lead, a disappointed Ancelotti
said: "Juventus were excellent but we gifted our opponents a draw when the
players seemed to sit back after Blanc's goal."
On Del Piero's surprise inclusion in attack in place of Filippo Inzaghi, the
Bianconeri boss said: "Del Piero's contribution was fundamental. He played
out wide, held up the ball well and dribbled past the Inter defence opening
up gaps. His performance was excellent. But all Juve's players did well and
I am happy."
As to whether his players had been naive in their defensive duties when Di
Biagio scored the equaliser, Ancelotti said: "It's up to the team taking the
free-kick to ask the referee to get the wall to stand the correct distance
away. We were surprised when that didn't happen and Inter took the free kick
so quickly."
His Inter counterpart Marco Tardelli was happy with his team's fightback and
said: "If this team continues to run out showing the same character and
determination as it did tonight then we have nothing to fear. I want to
single out Blanc in particular for his sheer presence and personality."
Tardelli seemed annoyed with his own Uruguayan star, Alvaro Recoba's
performance: "Recoba must learn to move better without the ball by moving
out wide and creating space for his team-mates. He still has a lot to learn
before he can do this properly."
Inter and Italy striker Christian Vieri, playing only his second full match
since recovering from a long-term injury, added: "I still don't know how I
missed that chance when the ball hit my shin. When I see it now I want to
faint.
"But all in all I'm happy. I'm slowly getting back to form and the team
played well. I'm still not sure though why my first half goal was disallowed
by Braschi."
