Del Piero must prove worth, demands Agnelli

March 14, 2001
Onefootball.com

Striker Alessandro Del Piero needs to score more goals and accept a lower salary if he wants to secure an extension to his contract, says the Turin club's owner, Giovanni Agnelli.

But Del Piero, who earns £83,000 a week and has said he will consider his future at the Delle Alpi at the end of the season, is not the only Juve player who Agnelli believes needs to graft for his rewards.

"I told Alessandro Del Piero that he must start scoring more goals and be ready to accept less money," said Agnelli on Wednesday.

"And that goes for all players who want to sign contract extensions," he said. "The team have to think about scoring more while sports director Luciano Moggi should worry about trimming the wage bill."

Agnelli went on to comment on how he sees his teams chances of winning the Scudetto this term. "I am not optimistic and think Roma will go from strength to strength. I think Juventus are as strong as Roma, but Roma have been playing brilliantly since the start of the season.

"I remember the great duels between the clubs in the 1980s and players like Platini and Falcao. Italy had just won a World Cup back then and we were on top of the world."

But just becasuse Agnelli reckons Roma are odds on for the title, doesn't mean to say that he doesn't dream about Juve lifting the title again.

The Fiat and Corriere della Sera newspaper boss celebrated his 80th birthday on Monday and was in no doubt about what he wanted for his birthday. "I would like a 26th Scudetto," said the octogenarian.
.