SERIE A MATCH PREVIEWS: Capello and Ancelotti Meet Again
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
ROME (October 15, 1999 9:09 a.m. EDT http://www.sportserver.com) - The soccer paths of Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti cross again at the Olympic stadium on Sunday (kickoff 1830 GMT) when AS Roma takes on Juventus.
But, with Roma second in the table after a promising start
to the season, and Juve a point back in fourth place, there will
be little time for nostalgic chat.
Roma coach Capello is battling against injury and
suspension: his team's 3-1 win at Fiorentina two weeks ago saw
captain Francesco Totti sent off and suspended and striker Marco Delvecchio injured. Ex-Sampdoria striker Vincenzo Montella is also doubtful after a blow to the left foot on Thursday.
By contrast, Ancelotti can afford to leave the talent of
Alessandro Del Piero on the bench and partner Filippo Inzaghi
with Darko Kovacevic. But the Juve manager is well aware his team has not won at the Olympic stadium since
1991.
Other matches
Saturday:
UDINESE (9) vs. LAZIO (3) (1300 GMT)
Sven-Goren Eriksson's preparations suffered a setback this
week when his Argentine stars Sebastian Veron and Diego Simeone played the full 90 minutes in their nation's 2-1 win over
Colombia at Cordoba before flying back to Italy.
Jetlag makes both doubtful starters together with injured
Yugoslavs Sinisa Mihajlovic and Dejan Stankovic.
FIORENTINA (6) vs. PARMA (11) (1830 GMT)
Gabriel Batistuta and Daniel Ortega, match-winners in
Argentina's 2-1 victory over Colombia on Wednesday, take the
field on opposite sides.
But while coach Giovanni Trapattoni is expected to play the
jetlagged Batistuta for at least 45 minutes, counterpart Alberto
Malesani looks set to rest Ortega. The match is a repeat of last
season's Italian Cup final - won by Parma.
Sunday: (all 1300 GMT)
LECCE (12) vs. REGGINA (7)
The two surprise packages of the new Serie A season, which
were both playing in Serie B last year, meet at the "Via del
Mare" stadium with Reggina seeking only its second victory on
the ground in 50 years.
Lecce is unbeaten at home this season, having held Milan to
a draw and beating Juventus, while Reggina has lost just once in its first five matches.
AC MILAN (5) vs. CAGLIARI (17)
Former Liberian world player of the year George Weah and
Cameroon striker Patrick Mboma come face to face for the first
time since they won the French league and Cup double playing for Paris St Germain in 1992/93.
The Sardinians have won just three times at the San Siro.
Milan must defend a 13-month unbeaten home record without
defender Alessandro Costacurta who is suspended.
PIACENZA (18) vs. BOLOGNA (13)
Former Italy striker Giuseppe Signori returns to the club
where he made his Serie B debut in 1986 and a stadium where his current club Bologna has only won once in six starts.
Michele Paramatti, Giancarlo Marocchi and Nicola Ventola are
back from injury but will start on the Bologna bench.
TORINO (14) vs. BARI (10)
Both sides will be thankful to return to league action after
suffering surprise first round first leg Italian Cup defeats to
second division opponents - Torino at Atalanta of Bergamo and
Bari at Napoli. Bari have not won at Torino since 1969.
VENEZIA (16) vs. INTER MILAN (1)
Venezia have not won a league match since humiliating Inter
3-1 at the "Penzo" stadium last May. Sadly for the Venetians,
the player who inspired their first win over Inter in 52 years,
Uruguayan Alvaro Recoba, is not only injured but now a member of the opposition squad.
Inter's Christian Vieri will start the match on the bench
after suffering a foot injury playing for Italy; Ronaldo takes
his place up front. Salvatore Fresi replaces injured Croat
defender Dario Simic.
VERONA (15) vs. PERUGIA (8)
After a dramatic late victory over local rivals Ternana in
Wednesday's Italian Cup first round match, Perugia travel to
Verona looking for only their third win there in 24 years.
Perugia's recent signings Ibrahim Ba (ex-Milan) and Nicola
Amoruso (ex-Juventus) will both miss the match, through
suspension and injury respectively.
