Zoff leaves Del Piero off Italy squad

August 31, 1999
SportsServer

Rome - Italy coach Dino Zoff has taken one look at Alessandro Del Piero and penciled the Juventus star out of his squad to face Denmark in next week's Euro 2000 qualifier.

Del Piero may have made a promising return after a nine-month absense following surgery, but he failed on Tuesday to win a place in Zoff's front-line alongside Inter Milan's Christian Vieri.

The vacancy should go to Vieri's best friend off the pitch, Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi.

AS Roma playmaker Francesco Totti and Fiorentina winger Enrico Chiesa have also been given the nod.

The two surprises are in midfield, where Zoff has called up newcomers Paolo Vanoli, who scored in both Parma's victorious finals last season in the UEFA and Italian Cups, and Jonatan Binotto of Bologna.

The defense will have to be re-shuffled for next Wednesday's Group One match in Naples as team captain Paolo Maldini is out with an injured toe.

His place on the left is likely to go to Lazio's Giuseppe Pancaro, with Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta in the middle, and Christian Panucci on the right. Gianluigi Buffon will be between the posts, despite a blunder at the weekend which cost Parma two points.

The central midfielders should be Demetrio Albertini and Dino Baggio, with Diego Fuser and Eusebio Di Francesco on the flanks.

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Parma), Francesco Toldo (Fiorentina)

Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (Parma), Paolo Negro (Lazio), Alessandro Nesta (Lazio), Giuseppe Pancaro (Lazio), Christian Panucci (Inter Milan).

Midfielders: Paolo Vanoli (Parma), Demetrio Albertini (AC Milan), Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Dino Baggio (Parma), Antonio Conte (Juventus), Eusebio Di Francesco (AS Roma), Diego Fuser (Parma), Giuliano Giannichedda (Udinese), Jonatan Binotto (Bologna).

Strikers: Enrico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Filippo Inzaghi (Juventus), Francesco Totti (AS Roma), Christian Vieri (Inter Milan)
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