Del Piero steps aside for Azzurri Saturday 18 May, 2002
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Alex Del Piero has opted to sit on the bench for tonight’s friendly rather than play behind the front two.
The Juventus star may have handed the Number 10 jersey to Francesco Totti for the World Cup, but he has no intention of replacing him in the squad set-up.
“I am a support striker and Giovanni Trapattoni knows this,” explained Del Piero. “I have certain objectives in mind for this tournament and I will not allow anything or anyone disturb that. At least I hope so.”
A recurring thigh injury ruled out Totti for tonight’s friendly in the Czech Republic.
Cristiano Doni is also not 100% fit, so Trap had hoped to keep the tactical set-up relatively unchanged by fielding Del Piero behind front two Filippo Inzaghi and Christian Vieri.
However, the Juve hero has always resisted being brought back into that role and refused to make this sacrifice for the Azzurri.
“Of course,” he added, “if the match had been the opening game of the World Cup then I would have thought it over and probably said yes.”
“But it is a question of consistency. I have played the entire Championship winning season as a support striker and that is what I am.”
With the absence of potential Totti alternatives Stefano Fiore and Roberto Baggio, this leaves Trap with precious few extra Trequartista’s.
Meanwhile, the Coach gave a stark warning to his players ahead of their final friendly before flying out to Japan.
“I can already breathe in the World Cup atmosphere. The team know they must give 100% and try to win this match, because this is the time when decisions are made.”
Italy will try to make history in Prague, as the record books do not show a tendency to do well in the Czech Republic.
The Azzurri have earned just one win and a draw here, losing their other seven trips to this country.
Silvio Piola scored the winner in their only 1-0 victory against Czechoslovakia in 1937. The draw was settled five years earlier.
The country was split in 1993 and since then Italy have faced the Czech Republic during the Euro ’96 tournament in England.
Luigi Apolloni was sent off as Arrigo Sacchi’s squad crashed to a 2-1 defeat.
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Alex Del Piero has opted to sit on the bench for tonight’s friendly rather than play behind the front two.
The Juventus star may have handed the Number 10 jersey to Francesco Totti for the World Cup, but he has no intention of replacing him in the squad set-up.
“I am a support striker and Giovanni Trapattoni knows this,” explained Del Piero. “I have certain objectives in mind for this tournament and I will not allow anything or anyone disturb that. At least I hope so.”
A recurring thigh injury ruled out Totti for tonight’s friendly in the Czech Republic.
Cristiano Doni is also not 100% fit, so Trap had hoped to keep the tactical set-up relatively unchanged by fielding Del Piero behind front two Filippo Inzaghi and Christian Vieri.
However, the Juve hero has always resisted being brought back into that role and refused to make this sacrifice for the Azzurri.
“Of course,” he added, “if the match had been the opening game of the World Cup then I would have thought it over and probably said yes.”
“But it is a question of consistency. I have played the entire Championship winning season as a support striker and that is what I am.”
With the absence of potential Totti alternatives Stefano Fiore and Roberto Baggio, this leaves Trap with precious few extra Trequartista’s.
Meanwhile, the Coach gave a stark warning to his players ahead of their final friendly before flying out to Japan.
“I can already breathe in the World Cup atmosphere. The team know they must give 100% and try to win this match, because this is the time when decisions are made.”
Italy will try to make history in Prague, as the record books do not show a tendency to do well in the Czech Republic.
The Azzurri have earned just one win and a draw here, losing their other seven trips to this country.
Silvio Piola scored the winner in their only 1-0 victory against Czechoslovakia in 1937. The draw was settled five years earlier.
The country was split in 1993 and since then Italy have faced the Czech Republic during the Euro ’96 tournament in England.
Luigi Apolloni was sent off as Arrigo Sacchi’s squad crashed to a 2-1 defeat.
How incredibly selfish he is
