Davids To Start After Lippi Back-Down
Saturday 8th December 2001
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi will start with Edgar Davids in the team to play Milan on Sunday night. The news emerges after the Holland midfielder threatened to quit the Serie A giants following his recent relegation to the subs' bench.
But Lippi insisted that there was no problem with Davids' inclusion in the starting line-up, saying: "Edgar Davids will play in the midfield, replacing Igor Tudor and this is our only change.
"Edgar expressed his feelings in a civil way and I answered in the same way. That's no problem at all. I'm expecting a great match from him, a solid performance. I have always held Edgar in high esteem and still do that even if I have left him on the bench in some matches. Anyway, I'm sure he will play a great match."
There was great anticipation about Davids' role in the game as he had warned Lippi in midweek that he would leave Juve if was back on the bench for the weekend clash with Milan. The coach responded on Wednesday by saying that he had already done as much as he could to accommodate Davids since his return from suspension.
Lippi was keen to deflect attention from Davids by stressing the return from injury of club captain Antonio Conte.
"The big change will be on the bench: our captain Antonio Conte has finally recovered and is ready to play now. He will play the whole match of the Coppa Italia tie against Sampdoria next Wednesday."
Lippi went on to say that he was unconcerned by fans' dissatisfaction with him. "This is a new situation for me here in Turin," he conceded. "I think that only a small part of our fans are against me: when I walk in the street everybody encourages me and we only need some good results to cancel this kind of feeling.
"Anyway, in the great clubs like Juve you must be ready to face this kind of situation. You have great praise or tough criticism depending on your results.
"It's true that last year Juve had three more points at this time of the season, but three points are only one more win and don't forget we are still in the Champions' League and the Coppa Italia and this is important."
