Del Piero has hopes for European comeback

March 31, 1999
SportsServer

MILAN, Italy - Alessandro Del Piero is dreaming of a place in the European Cup final after a year of injury and failure.

The Juventus striker's troubles started in last season's final, when a year of prolific goalscoring ended in defeat to Real Madrid and an injury which also helped to ruin his World Cup in France.

Out of football since damaging knee ligaments last November, he is now praying for a semifinal victory for Juventus over Manchester United that could yet see him return for the final in Barcelona on May 26.

"It would be great to be able to say in a few months' time that my troubles started in one European Champions League final and finished in another," he told Guerin Sportivo magazine. "It would be marvellous.

"And I want to believe it could happen, even though that won't shorten my recovery time." And he admitted: "The conditions would have to be right even for me to be on the substitutes' bench."

As for the battle with Alex Ferguson's men, which starts next week, he said: "We know that it's going to be tough against Manchester United. But if Juventus play like they can, that will be enough."

Del Piero, who now spends his days with physiotherapists instead of footballers, admitted that he still has regrets about France 98, where his below-par performances contributed to Italy's quarterfinal exit. 

"I do think about it from time to time," he said. "I'd hoped it would finish very differently to the way it did."

However, the 24-year-old is determined to see his year off in the best possible light.

"I'm living it in a positive, optimistic way," he said. "In times like this, you develop as a person, you reach for the strength and the motivation you have inside you, and it makes you realise how important, and how unimportant, certain things are.

"One thing is for certain, I'll be different when I come back," he said. "Probably with a stronger personality."

Realistically, though, that will not be until the summer.

"The hope is to join the rest of the squad for the start of pre-season training in July," he said. "The dream, though, is something else. But do I have to repeat it?"
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