Lippi Says Juventus 'Played With Hearts Not Heads'
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
ROME (Nov 5, 1998 - 13:03 EST) - Juventus were left with a tricky task to reach the European Cup quarter-finals after playing "more with their hearts than heads" in Wednesday's 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao.
The Italians have now drawn all four matches in group B of the Champions' League, leaving them needing to win their final two games against Turkey's Galatasaray and Norwegians Rosenborg to qualify for the last eight.
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi said: "The Basques played an excellent game, they were brilliant in the way they closed us off and very quick on the counter attack.
"We didn't play well. We battled, we suffered but we played more with our hearts than with our heads. However, we're not down and out yet."
Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi believes that if his side are not capable of winning their next two Champions' League matches, they do not deserve to go any further in the competition.
"We have to prove that we're still a good Juventus, winning our next two games against Galatasaray and Rosenborg, otherwise it's only fair that we get eliminated," he said.
Sports daily Gazzetta Dello Sport said of the home result against Bilbao: "It wasn't a catastrophe but it was pretty close to one. The qualification of Juventus now hangs by a thread."
"For Juventus, the road to the quarter-finals gets ever harder and ever more torturous," wrote sports daily Corriere Dello Sport.
The Italian media underlined the scale of Juventus's task in three weeks time in Galatasaray's Ali Sami Yen stadium.
Rome daily La Repubblica said: "The Turks beat Rosenborg 3-0 last night (Wednesday) and they'll have an intimidating environment working in their favour.
"The Juventus we saw against Bilbao would get its wings burned in such a context, we'll just have to see how much improvement Juventus make over the next three weeks."
