Lippi hails Serie A new boys
Sunday 16th September 2001
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi paid tribute to Serie A newcomers Chievo after watching his side come from two goals down to maintain their 100 per cent record this season with a hotly-disputed penalty. "I congratulate Chievo," he said. "They played with their hearts and their minds."
"They have some very talented players, and we suffered from Gianluigi Buffon's mistake," Lippi went on. "It seems incredible that he should make an error when he is the best player in the world.
"Then they scored a great second, but I'm proud of my team, because they fought till the end."
Lippi remained non-committal about the controversial late spot-kick. "Was it a penalty? That depends," he said. And he also rejected criticism that Juve's strikers were struggling to score goals. "Marcelo Salas scored the penalty," he said. "He's a striker.
"I'm happy because of the way we played. But the best thing was before the match, when all the players and the referee stood hand in hand to pay their respect to the victims of the terrorism in the USA.
"I think it is a great message to put out. The players and referees did not discuss it before; it was a spontaneous gesture."
Midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi dedicated his goal to the families of those who died.
"I want to be near those who are suffering right now," he said. "I feel so dreadful about what happened in New York, and so, when I scored, I looked to the sky."
