From the papers

January 21, 2000
Juventus Official Site

Today's press carries encouraging news for Juventus fans: Alessandro Del Piero is said to be on the brink of a return to top form. In an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport, Del Piero is optimistic: "I have undergone special training since my injury and now I can play comfortably for a full match. All I need to do now is improve the quality of my game. In February you should see the best Del Piero ever. I will not be happy with an average performance because the team needs me to score too. Luckily, Zidane is on top form too, but to win the title we have to tighten up our act and stop losing points to smaller teams."

In the Corriere dello Sport, meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti disputes Rivaldo's status as the world's top player. "Zidane is the best," he insists. "I wouldn't swap him for Rivaldo. With all due respect to the Brazilian ace, the strongest player at the moment is at Juventus." According to the Roman daily it is for this reason that Juve are targeting few acquisitions. "Defender William Gallas (23-years-old) is a possibility," reports the Corriere. "Juve are also looking at another Olympique Marseille player, 21-year-old midfielder Peter Luccin."

Tuttosport has the latest news on team selection for the weekend. "Alarm bells ringing over Montero; Inzaghi should be OK," reports the paper. "The Uruguayan player has been complaining about back pain, but he will attempt training today. If he is not available, Tudor will go on in his place. It is increasingly likely that Inzaghi will be on the pitch for Sunday's fixture. If Inzaghi has not fully recovered in time, Kovacevic will play." The paper then speculates on the team Ancelotti will field against Reggina: "A decision is close to being taken on the team for Sunday's match. It includes: Van der Sar, Ferrara, Montero (or Tudor), Iuliano, Conte, Tacchinardi, Davids, Zambrotta (or Pessotto), Zidane, Inzaghi (or Kovacevic) and Del Piero. Esnaider and Fonseca are still unavailable."
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