Juve Do Not Need Major Surgery, Insists Moggi
Monday 7th May 2001
Juventus sports director Luciano Moggi does not believe that wholesale changes to the squad are necessary for next season, despite admitting that Juve's title aspirations are all but over after Sunday's 2-2 draw with league-leaders Roma.
"There are only a few things we need to correct," he said. "Last Sunday the team showed that they are second to none. I don't understand why certain fans are opposed to coach Carlo Ancelotti.
"I have to congratulate Roma, because they are a very strong team, but I also saw Juve dominate for 80 minutes."
Juventus looked to be cruising at 2-0 with 20 minutes remaining, when a wonder-goal from Hidetoshi Nakata pulled one back for Roma. A dreadful error from Edwin van der Sar in the dying seconds then allowed Vincenzo Montella to equalise. The Dutch keeper now looks almost certain to leave the club.
Moggi, meanwhile, was highly critical of the Italian Football Federation's decision to abolish the restrictions on non-EU players on Friday. "I don't know if we can say that the season was fair now," he said, after Roma fielded no fewer than six players born outside the EU. Previously they would only have been able to have three on the field at any one time.
"Roma did nothing wrong," he went on, "but to make such a decision three days before such an important match is not ideal."
Moggi is also battling the federation over Edgar David's positive preliminary test for nandrolone. A second test, which should have been carried out on Tuesday, has been postponed at the player's request.
