Downcast Del Piero facing place on the bench

May 25, 2002
Fifaworldcup.com

By Simon Evans

SENDAI, Japan - Alessandro Del Piero may be one of the biggest names in world football but the Italy striker also looks one of the unhappiest as he faces the prospect of starting the World Cup on the bench.

The Juventus striker was left out of Italy's starting line-up for the second time inside a week as coach Giovanni Trapattoni looked to fine-tune his side with a friendly against Japanese champions Kashima Antlers on Sunday.

Del Piero flopped during Italy's disappointing World Cup campaign in France four years ago, failing to score, or impress, as Italy were knocked out in the quarter-finals to the hosts.

He also came in for criticism after Italy's defeat to France in the final of Euro 2000 where he missed a number of good chances.

But after playing an essential part in Juve's title-winning campaign this season, the striker was hoping South Korea and Japan would provide the stage for him to finally make an impact in a major tournament.

As with the friendly against the Czech Republic last week, though, Trapattoni has opted for Inter Milan's Christian Vieri and AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi in attack and said he would also try out Roma's Vincenzo Montella in the second half.

NO MENTION 

The Italy coach made no mention of Del Piero during his press conference and the player himself made the briefest of comments as he entered the team bus.

"We have spoken to the coach and he wants to try it (with Inzaghi and Vieri) it's all right like that," said Del Piero.

Sunday's match may only be a low-key friendly game but it clearly looks as though the Juventus striker is now second choice reserve behind Montella.

On Friday Montella backed up that view when asked whether he felt he was ahead of Del Piero in being the first choice reserve for Inzaghi.

"These are the indications up to now, but I hope that it can change based on my merit," Montella said.

Del Piero may be regretting his surprise announcement last week that he did not want to operate in a deeper role as cover for playmaker Francesco Totti.

Trapattoni had asked Del Piero if he would stand in for Totti, who was injured for the game in Prague, given that the other alternative for that role, Atalanta's Cristiano Doni was also short of fitness.

Del Piero rejected the request saying he did not want to confuse his role and pointed out that he was the most successful support striker in Serie A last season.

Although Del Piero did concede that he was willing to fill-in for Totti in an "emergency" those first signs of discord within the Italy camp will not have impressed Trapattoni.

But the 63-year-old Italy coach is a canny operator and as several players pointed out on Saturday it is by no means certain that his choices for Sunday's friendly will remain in place for the June 3 group G opener against Ecuador.

While a weakened Kashima Antlers may not provide much of a real test for Italy if Del Piero enters play he will know that he must make an impression if he is not to endure another World Cup disappointment.

Italy also face Mexico and Croatia in group G.
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