Juve look to Inzaghi and Piero

January 28, 2000
Sporting Life

By John Skilbeck, PA Sport

In Italy, Serie A action resumes on Saturday with leaders Juventus at home to struggling Cagliari.

Juve may have bowed out of the Coppa Italia to Lazio in midweek but they have a three-point lead at the top of Serie A and in Filipo Inzaghi they possess a striker rapidly becoming the hottest property on the continent.

Reports in the Italian press this week claim that Manchester United are ready to offer David Beckham in an exchange deal for the prolific front man.

Whether or not such a move comes off, the continual all-round improvement in the 26-year-old's game is sure to attract further attention, with Inter Milan rumoured to be ready to offload Christian Vieri in order to attract Inzaghi.

On Sunday, the Bianconeri face Cagliari at the Stadio Delle Alpi and will look to Inzaghi and strike partner Alessandro Del Piero to put them back on the winning trail after their away goals defeat by title rivals Lazio on Wednesday evening.

A clinically struck free-kick by second half substitute Del Piero was not enough to earn a semi-final spot after their first-leg 3-2 victory.

After the match coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted Sven Goran Eriksson's side would be his team's biggest rivals for the Scudetto.

He said: "I never believed them to be a club in crisis and even if we had beaten them in the cup I think we would have found a stronger Lazio in the championship.

"But we are top because we have worked harder. This is not to say that there will not be difficult times ahead - like those our rivals are experiencing at the moment - even though I'm hoping the opposite is the case."

Inter Milan, meanwhile, host Roma in the San Siro; Bari travel to the Olympic Stadium to take on Lazio, and Milan go to Perugia looking to climb from their disappointing fifth place.
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