Del Piero and Totti Make Serie A Title Claims
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
MILAN, Nov 23 (AFP) - Italy's two most creative footballers, Juventus ace Alessandro Del Piero and AS Roma skipper Francesco Totti, have both staked their claim to become this season's Serie A champions.
Del Piero inspired his team to a 3-1 win over AC Milan which left Juventus joint top of the table, while Totti was behind Roma's stunning 4-1 derby victory over Lazio at the weekend.
Both men are admired for their creative ball skills, with Totti's arrival in the Italian national squad over the past year coinciding with Del Piero's near 10-month absence after getting injured last November.
And now both Number 10s are convinced they have started a winning roll which can take their teams through to the league title next May.
Del Piero said: "We showed the right spirit against Milan: 90 minutes of concentration, grit and determination. But we've got to be like that every Sunday if we want to think big.
"If that kind of match became the norm for us, there'd be the very real possibility of winning the championship.
"Personally, I think I played my best match since coming back from injury. But the whole team played great football.
"I felt good for the whole 90 minutes, both in terms of quantity and quality. I just hope I can keep improving. It's only to be expected that you have highs and lows when you've been out for nine months.
"But I've been doing well for a while now and when you realise that you can handle a whole match, it makes you feel a lot better."
Euphoria aside, Juventus need to prove that Sunday's electrifying performance against Milan was no flash in the pan. And they get a chance to do just that at the Olympic stadium this weekend.
"Now we've got to play Lazio," Del Piero said. "It's not a decisive match, because the season isn't yet a third of the way through. But it will give us some important indications."
Asked about the other contenders for the Serie A title, he said: "The big clubs are all there: Lazio, who still have the strongest team, Roma, Milan...and Inter will be there too."
Roma's hopes rest squarely on the shoulders of 23-year-old Totti, who has a venomous shot and the playmaking skills that enable front men Marco Delvecchio and Vincenzo Montella to score.
Lazio had been unbeaten all season before Sunday's derby, their clean slate starting pre-season with a European Super Cup trophy win over Manchester United.
"We beat a team that people have been calling the best in the world," Totti said. "But if that's the best team in existence, then the derby shows that we can win the league... we've got the squad to do it."
But warning his teammates not to rest on their Roman laurels, Totti said: "The coach is right to say that we shouldn't think about the derby any more and that there will be a lot of other important matches to win.
"And starting with Newcastle United in the UEFA Cup," he said, as the team prepare for Thursday's tie here.
