Juve prepare to face Rennes

August 7, 1999
Juventus Official Site

Coach Carlo Ancelotti supervised the usual morning training session at their Chatillon training ground as they prepare for the final round of the Intertoto against Rennes. The Bianconeri played two six-a-side short matches while Pessotto, Montero, Esnaider and Fonseca trained in the gym.

During the training session, the formation that will take on Rennes on Tuesday became apparent. Montero, who has been disqualified after being sent off during the match against Rostselmash, will not take part in the three-man defence that should be made up of Mirkovic on the right, Ferrara in the centre and Iuliano on the left.

Tacchinardi and Conte will play midfield with Zambrotta and Bachini both on the wing. Davids will be play centre-forward behind Inzaghi and Del Piero. Alex should play during the first 45 minutes of the match and Zidane also looks set to return to the pitch.

It appears from training that Davids will keep his central role and will replace Conte, while Tacchinardi gives up his place to Oliseh. Kovacevic will substitute Del Piero, who is unlikely to last the full 90 minutes.

Ancelotti had the opportunity to try different formations, as he himself said a few days ago, with the whole of the team available, he has plenty of alternatives.

Following the first half of the session, the Bianconeri trained in running with the ball and scoring. Tacchinardi and Del Piero, who are roommates and long-time friends, captured the fans’ attention by challenging each other to score from a distance. The midfielder won first time around, while Alex went close but didn’t manage to send the ball into the net.

On Sunday and Monday the double training session will be in the opposite order: gym in the morning and on the pitch in the afternoon. Those will also be the last days that the team will spend in Chatillon: on Tuesday morning the Bianconeri set off for Cesena, where they will play against Rennes in the evening. The team will be heading for Turin immediately after the match, where they will resume training for the rest of the season.

On Wednesday morning, those players who will not have played in the Intertoto match are to face a non-professional side. After the game, all players will enjoy four days off before resuming training in Turin’s Stadio Comunale on August 16.
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