Del Piero Seeks "Something Special" to Lift Juve
By Chris Endean
ROME, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero is hoping Sunday's "Italian Derby"
against Inter Milan will spark his side out of their lethargy. "We need a special Sunday, a big Sunday to let us flow," said Del Piero. "An event, a big match like Juve-Inter, could provide the missing spark," he said following the Italian champions' third successive draw in the European Champions' League.
The Juve captain's words betray the symptoms of a depression that invariably hits Serie A's top clubs and players after the dramas of a World Cup. Both Juventus and Inter, packed with high-profile players from France '98, have looked jaded in their first five matches and, with Fiorentina two points clear at the top, the current season risks taking the path of other post-World Cup Italian title races.
In 1983 AS Roma took advantage of the lethargic performances of a Juventus side packed with players from Italy's 1982 World Cup winning team. Four years later the combined post-World Cup blues of Italy's big clubs allowed Napoli to claim their first "scudetto".
In 1991, a year after Italy hosted the World Cup, it was Sampdoria's turn. Four years later, with the Italians coming to terms with their penalty shoot-out defeat to Brazil in the United States, the great AC Milan side of the early 90s slipped to mid-table and never recovered, handing the 1995 title to Juve.
Del Piero, team mate Zinedine Zidane and Inter's Ronaldo are already classic cases of post-World Cup depression. The World Cup was eventful for all three. Del Piero failed to score, Ronaldo suffered a fit before the final and lost and Zidane was sent off in the preliminary round, scored twice in the final and won. None appears to have quite stepped off that emotional rollercoaster. All three have reported late for training this season and have spent the first five matches fighting niggling injuries and struggling for full fitness.
"We (Ronaldo and I) have lived parallel stories -- a great (last) season, problems at the World Cup and a difficult start to the season," said Del Piero. Both Del Piero's and Ronaldo's summer stress started in the sides' controversial fixture which decided the fate of the 1998 title. Del Piero scored the winner but his second half penalty miss proved a worrying portent. He failed to score for his side again until last Sunday at Vicenza. Ronaldo, who had enjoyed a tremendous first season in Italy, was the victim of a second half foul which looked like a penalty to the entire nation -- except for referee Piero Ceccarini. The Brazilian was suspended for his post match comments and controversy continued to dog him, most notably on the day of the World Cup final.
Both players will be grateful that Inter are playing down talk of revenge. "When you start to complain continually you risk becoming pathetic," said Inter's Paolo Sousa. If Inter are to win on Sunday they must score their first goal in Turin
since 1993.
