Mixed emotions

February 13, 2000
Juventus Official Site

Juventus’ 1-0 home win against Lecce could not have come at a better time after two draws in two successive games. Skipper Antonio Conte, a spectator after picking up a knock in training on the morning of the match, personified Bianconeri delight when he took to the field at the final whistle to congratulate his team-mates on bagging three precious points.

But the single-goal victory owed as much to the Juventus back line, where Mark Iuliano and Co were as solid and dependable as ever, as to Zinedine Zidane’s first-half intervention. The clean sheet means that the Bianconeri have conceded only 10 goals all season, the best defensive record in the League.

Iuliano commented: "This win is dedicated to those who said we were all washed up last season. It's still the same side and look at our results. Maybe someone got it wrong."

Iuliano feels that the side's solid defence has been the key. "Yes, solidity in defence and in the midfield. In attack you have to point to Alessandro Del Piero's excellent performance - and so close to scoring. We are all happy. We played well but with Davids and Zidane in this kind of form, how could we have played badly?"

Juventus wanted all three points and duly secured them even though they were reduced to 10 men after Alessio Tacchinardi was sent off. Ancelotti's view was that the side played well in the first half but struggled in the second because Zidane was forced to operate from a deeper position where he is not used to playing.

Ancelotti also found a word of praise for Alessandro Del Piero. "I liked the way he played today, a goal was all that was missing," he asserted.

Yet Zidane, the Bianconeri goal hero, confessed that he forgot what he was meant to be doing when Edgar Davids dummied to take the 25th-minute free-kick which led to Juventus’ goal - but remembered in time to effect the perfect set-piece routine.
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