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Alex as good as his word

May 7, 2000
Juventus Official Site

Alessandro Del Piero has dedicated his winning goal against Parma to Giovanni Agnelli, the Juventus honorary president. Del Piero struck on the hour on Sunday to keep the League leaders on course for the title. On a personal note, he etched his name onto a Serie A score-sheet for the first time in 19 months.

But according to the Bianconeri number 10, he owes his change of luck to Agnelli, who had asked him for a goal only the previous Friday during a visit to the Comunale training ground. “He basically demanded that I score,” laughed Alex. “And I was happy to oblige. I hope Mr Agnelli does it more often.”

However, Del Piero’s sense of relief extends only as far as his own desperate – and now fulfilled – search for a goal. They say that a week is a long time in football, but after waiting since 18 October 1998 to get back among the goals, the 25-year-old insists on keeping the champagne on ice for another seven days. Del Piero is adamant that Juventus’ current two-point advantage over second-placed Parma will not be enough. “There are still 90 minutes to go,” declared the Italian international. “We have to go to Perugia and give our all to take maximum points.”

Yet for Del Piero, the gloss was staying on his 100th career goal. Parma defender Fabio Cannavaro purportedly said that there was a push on Paolo Vanoli in the build-up to Alex’s strike - but here the Juventus man suffered a convenient memory block. “I don’t really remember what went on leading up to the goal, only the immediate aftermath.” We believe you Alex; hundreds wouldn’t.
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