Juventus Player Profiles
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
TURIN, Italy (Sep 24, 1998 - 11:07 EDT) - Pen pictures of Juventus players ahead of Italian Serie A match against Parma at the Tardini stadium on Saturday (kick-off 1830 GMT):
GOALKEEPER :
Angelo Peruzzi : 28. Italy's first-choice goalkeeper, joined Juventus from AS Roma in 1991. Penalty saves in Rome in 1996 against Ajax Amsterdam gave Juventus the European Cup. Missed 1998 World Cup with late injury.
DEFENDERS :
Alessandro Birindelli : 23. Fast all-action fullback signed from Empoli in 1997 after helping the Tuscan club win promotion from third to first divisions in successive seasons. Scored first goal for Juve in Champions' League match against Galatasaray this month.
Manuel Dimas : 29. South African-born Portuguese international bought from Benfica in 1996 to bolster injury-hit defence. Solid defender but hesitant going forward. Has failed to establish himself as first choice left-back.
Mark Iuliano : 25. Signed from Salernitana in 1996, emerged as solid central defender. Performances as replacement for injured Italy and Juve sweeper Ciro Ferrara earned him a place in Dino Zoff's Italy team for Euro 2000 qualifier with Wales this month.
Zoran Mirkovic : 27. Yugoslav left-back who moved to Atalanta of Bergamo from Partisan Belgrade in 1996. Moved to Juve after Atalanta were relegated last season but lost place after Juve's shaky defensive start to season.
Paolo Montero : 27. Recently returned from injury, this rugged Uruguayan international was signed from Atalanta in 1996. Serie A debut at Atalanta under current Juventus coach Marcello Lippi.
Igor Tudor : 20. Juve fought off Real Madrid and AC Milan to sign this promising giant central defender, a member of the Croatian squad which finished third at the World Cup. Thanks to Ciro Ferrara's continued convalescence from broken leg, already a first-team regular.
MIDFIELDERS :
Jocelyn Blanchard : 26. Utility midfielder who started with Dunkirk before helping take Metz to runners-up spot in France and moving to Turin in summer. Juve offers him chance to emerge from shadow of Deschamps and Zidane, who have so far denied him international spot.
Antonio Conte : 29. Just returning to first-team football after injury. Back to best after serious knee injury ruined 1996-97 season. Tenacious ball-winner who likes to get forward into scoring positions. Turned down move to Middlesbrough.
Edgar Davids : 25. January transfer from AC Milan revived revived tempestuous Dutchman's career after broken leg and poor dressing-room relations soured move from Ajax. Known as 'Pitbull'. Back in Dutch squad after two-year absence.
Didier Deschamps : 29. Lippi's onfield 'manager' now in fifth season at Juve. Won European Cup with Marseille in 1993 and then with Turin side, who came close to selling him after poor first season. Developed playmaking skills together with superb ball-winning qualities. World Cup winner in summer.
Angelo Di Livio : 32. World Cup player who started at Roma and spent nine years in lower divisions before joining Juventus in 1994. Known as 'Little Soldier' for tireless running on right flank and never-say-die attitude. Linked to Lazio in summer.
Fabio Pecchia : 25. Ex-Italy under-21 player who first caught Lippi's eye during the Juve manager's brief spell as Napoli coach in 1993-94. Signed last summer but has since lost his first-team place to Davids.
Gianluca Pessotto : 28. Serie A debut in 1994 with Juve's city rivals Torino before moving across town in 1995. Utility defender or midfielder for Juve and Italy. Man-marked teammate Zidane in Italy's World Cup quarter-final.
Alessio Tacchinardi : 23. Product of Juventus youth team. In 1995, hailed as heir to legendary Franco Baresi but then lost form and has spent last three seasons patiently waiting his chance on the subs bench. This season Lippi has pledged to give him regular first-team football in midfield.
Zinedine Zidane : 26. Arrived at Juventus from Bordeaux in 1996. Playmaking central to last two Serie A titles. Juve's form tends to fluctuate with his own. Better known as provider than scorer although scored twice for France in World Cup final. Still struggling for full fitness.
STRIKERS :
Alessandro Del Piero : 23. Enjoyed his best-ever season with Juve last year with 21 league goals but form dipped after injury in European Cup final defeat against Real Madrid. Disastrous France '98 and has not scored in Serie A since April. Started career with Padova. Snapped up by Juventus in 1993 to take over from Roberto Baggio. Known as 'Pinturicchio' after Renaissance artist famed for delicate frescoes.
Daniel Fonseca : 29. Joined Juve in 1997. Club's intense physical training is helping revive injury-dogged career. Currently in outstanding form but kept out of side by Zidane. Managed by Lippi at Napoli in 1993-94. Sealed move to Serie A in 1990 after playing for Uruguay in World Cup in Italy.
Filippo Inzaghi : 25. Made Serie A debut with Parma in 1995 but off-loaded to Atalanta where finished as league's top scorer in 1996-97 season. Joined Juve last year and quickly gelled with Del Piero, scoring 18 goals in the black-and-white shirt.
Marcelo Zalayata : 19. Big Uruguayan bought last season to add weight to attack. Promising striker who made first team debut for Juventus within month of playing in Viareggio youth tournament.
