Workmanlike Juve Good Enough For Lippi
Sunday 17th March 2002
Marcello Lippi said it was the result not the performance that mattered after his side had come kept touch with leaders Internazionale and Roma with a 1-0 victory over Verona on Sunday.
"Juve played well even if we weren't able to put on a real show for our fans," he said.
Pavel Nedved scored the only goal of the game on 39 minutes, but Lippi was kept on the edge of his seat until the final whistle - Adrian Mutu might have drawn Verona level late on but fired wide off Luca Matteassi's pin point cross.
"We wanted to get off to a quick start as I knew how important it would be to score first," Lippi added.
"We didn't have to play so defensively after the break, but I think my players were a little tired after the Champions' League match and they probably played that way in order to save their energy. Having said that, Verona had few chances to equalise."
Victory keeps Juve a point behind joint leaders Internazionale, 2-1 winners at Lecce, and Roma, who beat Atalanta 3-1 on Saturday night.
Both title rivals were boosted by a pair of goals from returning hitmen Alvaro Recoba and Vincenzo Montella, and many believe their freshness could play a deciding part in the where the Scudetto ends up.
With Marcello Salas sidelined for the rest of the season, Lippi has no fresh legs waiting in the wings, but believes that in striker Alex del Piero, he has an ace of his own capable proving the difference.
"You know a crucial player in Marcelo Salas has been out, but I think Alex Del Piero could benefit from his enforced stop over the last few days," Lippi said.
"Alex has played a lot a matches this season and I think we'll have him at the peak of his form when he comes back.
"We have been knocked out of the Champions' League, but we still have two great aims in front of us.
"We continue calmly, preparing every match in the best way and I'm sure that it will not be easy to defeat us in the race for the Scudetto."
