Juventus lose Del Piero for five months

November 10, 1998
ATL World Soccer News

Juventus confirmed yesterday that Alessandro Del Piero will miss the next five months of the season after damaging his left knee in a 2-2 draw on Sunday with Udinese.

Italian national coach Dino Zoff knows that the forward - who scored twice against Switzerland in a Euro 2000 qualifier last month - will be struggling to make the qualifying game at the end of March.

Del Piero is likely to need an operation but there is no damage to the cruciate ligaments in the knee. Much of his recovery will require complete rest and leaves Juventus with a struggle to make the last eight of the Champions' League. After four draws Juve need a win in two weeks time to maintain their presence in a competition which has seen them reach the last three finals. They need a win in Turkey against Galatasaray or a main objective of their season will be gone before Christmas.

Juve were replaced at the top of Serie A by Fiorentina after Udinese came from behind to draw and their strike partnership of Del Piero and Inzaghi will now be missing for most of the rest of this season with the transfer window closing in Serie A until next February. Uruguayan Daniel Fonseca will be the likely replacement for Del Piero against AS Roma on Sunday but Juve's season now hangs in the balance.
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