Preview: Del Piero Faces More Time On Sidelines
Saturday 27th January 2001
Alessandro del Piero may pay the price for admitting that he could leave
Juventus at the end of the season by again being left out of the side to
face Vicenza on Sunday.
Del Piero revealed on Friday that he fears being replaced by Bari prodigy
Antonio Cassano in the same way that he replaced the legendary Roberto
Baggio at Juve in 1993. He sees a move abroad as a way to resurrect his
stuttering, injury-hit career.
He enjoys a love-hate relationship with the Juve fans and has struggled to
hold down a place in the Juventus side. If he does not play regularly, Del
Piero will almost certainly leave in the summer.
But for coach Carlo Ancelotti there are more important immediate matters to
atend to - such as catching Roma at the top of the table, starting with
victory over Vicenza.
"There is no problem with Del Piero, we need him, he will have his space to
play," he said. "We have to think only to win. We are playing very well and
this is the answer to all the people that criticized us a few weeks ago.
"We have pride, we are a great team and on Sunday it will be a big problem
for Vicenza - we have to win."
Juventus (probable): Van der Sar, Birindelli, Iuliano, Montero, Pessotto,
Zambrotta, Tacchinardi, Davids; Zidane, Inzaghi, Trezeguet
Vicenza (probable): Sterchele, Cardone, Marco Aurelio, Dicara, Tomas,
Sommese, Firmani, Bernardini, Dal Canto, Toni, Zauli
