Del Piero should play, insists Zidane

June 18, 2000
Onefootball.com

French star Zinedine Zidane has stoked the striking debate running through the Italian camp by backing Alessandro Del Piero ahead of fellow Juventus team-mate Filippo Inzaghi.

Caught by Italian journalists at the French training ground, Zidane was clear he believes the Azzurri would do better with Del Piero in the starting eleven.

"Inzaghi and Del Piero are both great players who have brought Juventus much success," said the World Cup winner.

"But if I were to choose between them now I'd pick Del Piero because he has the natural strength as well as the will to prove he is number one and has fully recovered from his injury problems."

Zidane, though, is at odds with his captain. The former Juve star favours Inzaghi. "They're both fantastic players but I'd go with Inzaghi," the Chelsea midfielder said.

Del Piero, meanwhile, reckons he is venting his frustrations with the "right kind of rage".

After netting two of the three goals (the other was scored by Juventus team-mate Pessotto) in a practice game, Del Piero faced the press without suggesting his patience is running out.

"I have in me the right sort of rage because I want to play but I also know that the squad needs a certain equilibrium," Del Piero said.

Asked if he thought a goal of his against Sweden would complicate things for Zoff, Del Piero replied: "If I come on and score the problems would be Sweden's and not Zoff's."

Another forgotten man is Vincenzo Montella – and the Roma striker is certainly feeling sorry for himself. Montella celebrated his 26th birthday and moaned: "I'll have to give myself a present because I don't expect to be chosen to play against Sweden."

The unhappy striker, who scored 18 goals in last season's Serie A, shares his birthday with Roma coach Fabio Capello who turns 54. Not that that will cheer Montella up.

At Italy's pre-Euro 2000 camp at Coverciano near Florence, Montella openly criticized Capello for substituting him too often.
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