Del Piero appears before judge again

January 27, 1999
SportsServer

TURIN, Italy - Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero returned for a second interview with a state prosecutor on Wednesday, as part of a continuing enquiry into drugs in Italian sport.

Del Piero, who was also summoned by Raffaele Guariniello last year, spent two hours with the Turin judge, accompanied by a club official.

The international star, whose football season ended with a knee injury on Nov. 8, brushed off the waiting reporters saying: "The only thing I'm worried about is my leg."

Guariniello's enquiry started last August after insinuations of doping at the club levelled by AS Roma coach Zdenek Zeman, who expressed surprise at the muscle development of Del Piero and former idol Gianluca Vialli.

The revival of the drugs enquiry is only the latest setback faced by the Italian champions this season.

In separate developments on Wednesday, Juventus said there was no plan to sack Marcello Lippi after the team coach revealed his desire to quit, and also announced that top defender Ciro Ferrara has undergone surgery.

Lippi said before Christmas that he will leave at the end of the season, with press reports pointing to a new job at Serie A rivals Inter Milan.

Recent comments from Juventus executives led to speculation that Lippi would be humiliatingly shown the door before the season was over.

But managing director Antonio Giraudo said: "We would like to re-state our faith in Lippi, who will stay with us until June 30.

"After that date, he will become part of Juventus' history, for the exceptional results he has achieved over the past five years. And we are sure he will stay in the hearts of Juventus fans."

Ferrara, who broke his left leg in two places a year ago, meanwhile had surgery to remove a pin used during the original leg operation.

The pin was due to have been removed at the end of the season, but had recently been troubling the international defender.

Ferrara aims to be back for their European Champions League quarter-final tie at home to Greek club Olympiakos on March 3.
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