Del Piero, bitter birthday

November 9, 2000
Sportal

There are more important things in life than a football match, but Alessandro Del Piero's 26th birthday certainly won't be among the happiest ones lived by the Juventus fantasista. Against Panathinaikos, the number 10 hasn't played as an attacker: because of Zidane's long suspension, at Athens Carlo Ancelotti sent him back in time and... on the field, playing him behind the two strikers. Pinturicchio, though, has disappointed, sinking together with his teammates, none of them (maybe only O'Neill can compete with him), however, is gifted with the crystalline class that distinguishes him.

The level of Alex Del Piero's last performance is summed up by the ratings given to him by the main Italian newspapers that were present on the Greek capital's Olympic stadium. The hope is that the juventino hadn't started the day of his 26th anniversary with a newspaper review...

La Stampa: 4.5 "he hides himself"
La Gazzetta dello Sport: 5 "in no-man's land"
Corriere dello Sport: 4.5 "a disaster"
Tuttosport: 4.5 "embarrassing"
La Repubblica: 4.5 "often vanishes"
Corriere della Sera: 5 "fading progressively"
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