Tuttosport 04/08/99 : Interview with Alessandro Del Piero
ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO, SOCCER PLAYER: WELCOME BACK.
"Thank you."
YOUR INJURY OCCURED 269 DAYS AGO. NOW, AN OFFICIAL MATCH. DO YOU THINK
OFTEN OF THE 8TH OF NOVEMBER?
"It happens sometimes. Usually, though, I look forward. I prefer it."
AND WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK FORWARD?
"For now I see the stadium in Cesena and a very important step for my return: the match. Even though that fever..."
YES, THE FEVER: IT WENT AWAY, YOU WILL PLAY.
"Let's say that there is optimism because I feel better, the temperature is back to normal and the aches are completely gone. If there won't be any last-minute complications, I'll play."
WHAT DID YOU THINK MONDAY, WHEN YOU SAW THE MERCURY IN THE THERMOMETER RISE
TO 38 DEGREES?
"I didn't panic. I told myself: I've waited 8 months and 26 days, this means that I will wait 9 months and 2 days. Then the doctor said a good word to the thermometer..."
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF YOUR FEVER KILLED THE PRE-SALES: NOT EVEN SIX THOUSAND TICKETS. BUT EVERYBODY, IN CESENA AND ON TV, WILL ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU. ARE YOU ANXIOUS?
"I know that my performance will be examined in each little detail and from every angle, by experts and non-experts, from fans and from non-fans, from people that care about me and non. Each will give his judgement, I'm ready to accept them all. I couldn't do otherwise."
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM YOURSELF?
"To start again. Nothing particular, because it would be out of place. I feel well with the way I've trained so far and the improvements I've made. If I'm then able to play 30 minutes, maybe 45, then it's right that I'll only be used for that amount of time."
YOUR OBJECTIVE IS TO RETURN TO TOP FORM FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON. DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU WILL MAKE IT?
"There are four games, 3 Intertoto matches and the Trofeo Berlusconi. I don't know if they will be enough, but they will help in getting used to the length of a match. This is what I'm missing, because I feel fine physically: I do everything that my teammates do on the field, I do the same stuff in the gym, even though I use slightly lighter weights. It's all part of a timetable worked in the every detail, we even broke up the vacations in order to give continuity to the exercises. Now, here we are. I even took free kicks, with both feet, without feeling anything."
THE INJURY TOOK AWAY A LOT FROM YOU. DID IT GIVE YOU SOMETHING?
"A lot, because every experience, even a negative one, a dramatic one for a sportsman, it helps you grow up as a man. It was an important period of my life and of my career. I'm richer now. And let's not make jokes on my contract: I meant richer inside..."
LET'S LOOK AT THE FIELD, JUVENTUS, AND THE FUTURE. ANCELOTTI SAID THAT, IN CASE OF NEED, HE COULD PLAY YOU IN A ZIDANE ROLE.
"We are going too fast here."
INZAGHI SAID, THOUGH, THAT YOU WON'T ACCEPT IT.
(smiles) "Let's just say that Pippo isn't 100% wrong... It's obvious that it will depend on the situations: it could happen. But that position it's Zidane's."
DEL PIERO, ARE YOU EXCITED?
"A little bit. Although the last period of time, with the preparation, the friendly, helped me mentally to get back into a reality that it's what I used to be in up to November. It's obvious that the tension before a match are something different and it's good to live them again."
NOW YOU EVEN LIKE THE TRAINING CAMP.
"When you don't have some feelings, you miss them. If, OTOH, they are yours every week, they become a nice habit."
DO YOU HAVE SOME PRE-GAME RITUALS?
"I always say that you are superstitious until something bad happens to you, then you aren't one anymore. I've never had rituals, only small contrivances, but temperary ones."
HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO ZANCHI, THE UDINESE DEFENDER AGAIN WHOM YOU BLEW YOUR KNEE?
"I talked to him right after the injury. He was truly sorry. I told him
that it wasn't his fault at all, considering the way it happened. He didn't have any faults, even though he had one: he was right there..."
WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO LISTEN AFTER THE GAME AGAINST ROSTSELMASH?
"I hope not to hear someone give me a slap on the back and telling me that I did alright in any case."
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO FEEL HAPPY?
"If I feel well and play bad, I will be angry; if I feel bad and play bad, no.
DEL PIERO, AREN'T YOU AFRAID?
"No."
Interview by Stefano Agresti (Tuttosport 04/08/99)
