Tudor Furious At 'Coward' Claim
Friday 15th March 2002
Juventus defender Igor Tudor has hit back at suggestions from coach Marcello Lippi that he refused to start the game with Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday despite being fit.
"I risked another injury. It's my body and I decide whether to play or not," he stormed.
Lippi explained that the giant Croatian would not take the field, even following an afternoon of persuasion. "He said he wasn't confident of his fitness," said the manager.
"He always used to play, even when he was in the worst condition, because he had such a close bond with the club. But on Tuesday he refused. It's something I have to reveal."
Tudor responded in the Corriere dello Sport on Friday. "I'm not a coward," he raged. "It was not correct to ask me to play. I'm not someone who refuses responsibility, but it was not the right moment.
"I was recently injured for five months and I suffered a lot trying to recover. Lippi and I had agreed I would not be risked. I was meant to only play 15 minutes against Inter last week, but I came on after 20 minutes because of Lilian Thuram's injury.
"I came through that without problems, even if my ankle was not at its best, but it was impossible to play a whole match three days later. I risked another injury. I was too tired."
The centre-back angrily denied that his decision was motivated by wanting to stay in perfect shape for the World Cup.
"That is a stupid idea," he said. "We had a duty to go on in the Champions' League. It's also false that I quarrelled with Lippi - we just talked and decided to use me as a substitute.
"I have never put Juventus after the Croatian national team, but I lived a nightmare for five months and I don't want to repeat it. The state of my ankle means I cannot play two matches in three days."
Juve managing director Luciano Moggi added: "Tudor asked not to play, end of story. He's a serious professional there were no problems between him and Lippi."
Tudor injured his ankle for the first time this season against Lecce on September 23. He returned quicker than expected to face Torino on October 14, but broke down again.
An appearance in the Champions' League against Arsenal at Highbury on December 4 ended when he asked to be substituted on 14 minutes. Tudor's next appearance did not come until Juve visited the San Siro last week.
