Views on Ronaldo

April 13, 2000
Juventus Official Site

The career-threatening injury sustained by Ronaldo on his return to first team action, in the Coppa Italia Final against Lazio, has had a profound effect on the Juventus squad as a whole. All the players were keen to wish him a speedy recovery and quick return to action, not only for himself but for the good of football the world over.

ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO
"It was a case of incredibly bad luck. When I saw the pictures live on TV I couldn't help but think of my own injury experience. No one can understand what you go through at a time like that, unless you've been through it yourself. From an onlooker's point of view it is difficult to know whether, through his desire to play again, he rushed his return. Only he can know this. Football is like a drug. When you are not involved you are desperate to return to action."

CIRO FERRARA
"To see him like that on TV really got to me. It was an awful feeling, which took me back to my injury, which I picked up in a challenge during a match. This was worse, as no one else was involved. When will he be back? I'm the last person to forecast his return: I don't know the details of his injury. But he himself will know how bad it is, whatever the doctors say."

ZINEDINE ZIDANE
"I wasn't watching the match, so I found out about it via the news broadcasts. It is horrible to get injured on your return to action. It is blow both for him and football in general."

CARLO ANCELOTTI
"I wouldn't have thought that his career would be in jeopardy. I've experienced what it's like to pick up the same injury again. After events like this you start to look at life in a different way."
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