Del Piero
"How nice to find enthusiasm again
Now I only lack the goal"
"The goal is the last piece of the puzzle and maybe that's why I feel I need it so much. For the Scudetto we're on the front row with five others. But we're very convinced".

December 14, 1999
Gazzetta dello Sport

BRUSSELS - Del Piero has returned to be Del Piero. After the assist to Inzaghi, last act of a list that keeps growing, this can finally be said. Can it? Embarrassment. A moment of silence. Fingers that interlace themselves, nervous. "It's not up to me to make certain observations. But one thing is sure: I always play with spirit and heart, and you can see it. The more I play good matches, the more I find enthusiasm again".

All for the joy of Carlo Ancelotti, who finally finds himself leading the championship after having beaten Roma, Milan and Inter and having drawn with Lazio. Waiting for Parma and Fiorentina, the tournament of the "seven sisters" seems already won. Last year, before the injury at Udine, Juve was on the top of the table. After that, the drop, Lippi's resignation and a season to forget. All for the happiness of Dino Zoff, that always replies to the critics: "A certain Del Piero has been missed...". Even Cesare Maldini, with half of Del Piero, has found himself in trouble at France '98.

And then other signals. The desire to joke. The robust but thin physic. The smile. Many indications of a Del Piero found again. "No, now I need the goal. Only the goal: because it's the last part of the puzzle, I feel I need it so much. I must improve. Anyway, this reflects the trouble Juve has on scoring goals. Luckily, the defense in unbeatable: when you don't score, you risk putting in trouble to those behind you". Del Piero has two goals in Serie A, always penalty kicks. If he hadn't signed with the ball in motion at the Intertoto, against Rostov, he would have forgotten how it's done. Now he thinks about Filippo Inzaghi, super top scorer this season with 18 goals. "Pippo and I are a duo already brought together. But we also play well with Kovacevic, one who always scores".

Someone says the magic word: Scudetto. Juve can't keep hiding at all. "We're on the front row with other five squads. Only in one third of the championship. And with minimum gaps: three points is nothing, it's a victory. I admit, thought, that Juve and Lazio have seized the opportunities better than the others. Don't forget that things haven't all been in decline: we've started early, to play the Intertoto. We've had some difficulties. The new players, however, have integrated soon and the results came. We're very convinced. We walk into the pitch thinking about winning and when you do this there's more possibility of getting all three points".

The other magic word is: Ancelotti. The coach had already done well last year, with the shadow of Lippi that didn't abandon him: by now, his critics are in silence. "Ancelotti works on the trail made by Lippi. The mentality is the same, also several players are. The 'group' has remained that one, with the addition of the will to achieve the high levels". And then, last year? "To forget, I don't even consider it. I compare it with two years ago, on the last season so many things happened". The comparisons are always unpleasant, but there were no problems with Lippi. "On Sunday, before the match begins, we greeted each other. Then, on the field, rivals: normal".

From Lippi, last Sunday, to Trapattoni, next Sunday. Juve's glorious past in eight days: "With Lippi, we've lived five incredible years. Trap has made Juve's history, but now we must also beat him". The thoughts run far away. The cups. "I want to get back to the Champions League, a tournament I miss". The European. "In England, with Sacchi, everything went wrong. The group we got in at Brussels seems easy, at least it's said so. Italy shouldn't watch the opponents, but get ready to play great matches since the beggining. Aiming the team. Zoff will have to make important choices. Especially on the midfield and attack. But there are so many strong attackers around, not considering the way we'll play". God knows.
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