Del Piero dreaming of Barca

March 19, 2003
Channel4.com

Alessandro Del Piero has described his joy at returning to the playing field and hopes Barcelona will be Juve’s next opponent.

“The twenty minutes I played against Basle had a very special meaning for me,” he told his official website.

The 2-1 defeat on Tuesday was his first appearance since suffering a thigh strain against Atalanta on February 2.

“We found a wonderful enthusiasm in that Swiss stadium and it felt like a party for both teams.”

Despite the scoreline, Juve still qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions’ League due to their superior record against Basle and Deportivo La Coruna in Phase Two.

“The team did well,” continued Del Piero, “and I must compliment Alessio Tacchinardi for his wonderful goal. But in Europe being good is not enough. You need to be brilliant at all times.”

The Bianconeri enter the final eight of this competition and will face Milan, Barcelona, Ajax, Valencia or Arsenal.

“To be perfectly honest, the idea of coming up against Barcelona, a side I have never had the pleasure to encounter, sounds very enticing indeed.”

Del Piero therefore agrees with his Coach, as after Tuesday’s game Marcello Lippi told the press that he would also relish a first time match with the Spanish giants.

Meanwhile, Juventus medical staff have conducted tests on David Trezeguet’s right knee.

The Frenchman limped off after 30 minutes of the Basle game with bruising to the back of his knee and tests confirmed there is no muscular damage.

Nonetheless, he will only resume training on Thursday or Friday, and therefore remains in doubt for the Saturday evening showdown with Milan.

With Marco Di Vaio also sidelined with a sprained ankle, it is possible Del Piero will start in the San Siro.
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