UEFA Cup Dings Send Parma, Juventus into Matchup Hungry
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
ROME (Sep 25, 1998 - 12:25 EDT) - Parma and Juventus both need a morale-boosting victory in their Serie A showdown on Saturday for a rebound ahead of next week's European competitions.
Both sides got off to disappointing European starts 10 days ago when Parma lost 1-0 at Turkish side Fenerbahce in the UEFA Cup and Juventus drew 2-2 at home against another Turkish side, Galatasaray, in the European Champions' League.
Juventus must travel north to face Norwegian side Rosenborg Trondheim on Wednesday, while Parma has a difficult return leg at home to Fenerbahce.
Host Parma comes into the game in an unsettled frame of mind following a disappointing Serie A start with 0-0 draws against Vicenza and Venezia.
Juventus, by contrast, has won both its opening games, winning 4-3 at Perugia 4-3 and 1-0 at home against Cagliari.
Unlike Juventus, which starts the season with a little-changed squad, Parma has rung the changes.
Not only did they hire a new coach in Alberto Malesani, formerly with Fiorentina, but they also bought world class midfield talent in the shape of Argentine Juan Veron, Frenchman Alain Boghossian and Diego Fuser.
Media reports suggest rigorous disciplinary methods introduced by Malesani have not endeared him to all his players.
Last week, Italian comic and soccer commentator Gene Gnocchi announced to Italia 1 television viewers that he was about to name the players who were against Malesani.
Gnocchi then went on to read out the entire Parma squad list.
Perhaps in reaction to such negative comment, coach Malesani lashed out at critics after Parma had knocked out second division Genoa, beating them 4-0 on aggregate, in a midweek Italian Cup tie:
"My sides always start slowly but, in the end, they always realize their seasonal objectives," said Malesani.
Saturday's tie also features four members of France's World Cup-winning squad, with midfielder Boghossian and defender Lilian Thuram lining up for Parma and playmaker Zinedine Zidane and French captain Didier Deschamps in the Juventus team.
Deschamps this week played down the significance of a one of the big fixtures of the season.
"Sure, this is a clash between two championship contenders but it comes a bit early and I don't think, in any case, it will give us any precise indications (about the title race)," said the Frenchman.
With a mischievous touch of irony, Deschamps went on to add: "Of course, if they (Parma) were to lose, then they might have some problems."
Both sides expect to be at full strength with Argentine striker Hernan Crespo returning to partner Enrico Chiesa in the Parma attack.
Parma's Croat utility player Mario Stanic is ruled out through injury but, even without him, Parma present a strong midfield of Dino Baggio, Fuser, Veron and Boghossian.
Juventus is also at close to full strength despite the injury-enforced absence of reserve striker Nicola Amoruso, midfielder Antonio Conte and defenders Ciro Ferrara and Mark Iuliano.
Alessandro Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi and Zidane, who were all rested for Wednesday's 4-0 Italian Cup win against second division Ravenna, return to lead the Juventus attack.
When the two sides met in the league last season, both games ended on a 2-2 scoreline.
Probable teams :
Parma : Gianluigi Buffon, Luigi Sartor, Lilian Thuram, Fabio Cannavaro, Antonio Benarrivo; Diego Fuser, Juan Veron, Dino Baggio, Alain Boghossian; Hernan Crespo, Enrico Chiesa.
Juventus : Angelo Peruzzi, Alessandro Birindelli, Igor Tudor, Paolo Montero, Gianluca Pessotto; Alessio Tacchinardi, Didier Deschamps, Edgar Davids, Zinedine Zidane; Alessandro Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi.
