Lapo slams Inter and Cannavaro Friday 15 May, 2009
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Juventus patron Lapo Elkann launched a stinging attack on “shameful” Inter and warned Fabio Cannavaro is not the way forward.
The young heir to the Agnelli empire has always been vocal in his dislike of the Nerazzurri and stayed true to form.
“The Italianisation of football should be encouraged,” he said. “It is not possible that there are teams in Serie A who only field two or three Italians. This is shameful.
“Acting this way does not get the best out of our country or our League. It is not just a duty for the individual clubs, but also the authorities who must introduce rules so they are forced to promote Italian talent.”
The none-too-subtle dig was aimed at Internazionale, who are well-known for fielding a large number of foreigners.
Last season Roberto Mancini became the first Serie A Coach ever to play an entirely foreign starting XI and Jose Mourinho has on occasion repeated that curious record.
However, Elkann also aimed his sharp tongue at the return of Cannavaro to Juventus after walking out during the Calciopoli scandal of 2006.
Interviewed by Sky Italia, he was asked which player should inherit the captain’s armband after Alessandro Del Piero retires.
“For me it has to be either Giorgio Chiellini or Gigi Buffon. Chiellini is what Cannavaro once was and no longer is.
“Without taking anything away from Cannavaro, who is talented, but at the end of his career where Chiellini is at the start.
“Buffon is part of the 'samurai warriors’ who stayed when Juve went to Serie B and fought alongside Del Piero, [Pavel] Nedved and [David] Trezeguet, so he earned the right to be called a 'bandiera’ – a symbol of Juve.”
A section of the Bianconeri fans have already been infuriated by news of Cannavaro’s comeback, dubbing him a traitor, so Elkann’s statements will add fuel to that fire.
Meanwhile there is sad news for Juventus fans and Elkann this evening, as his aunt Susanna Agnelli has died at the age of 87.
The sister of former Presidents Gianni and Umberto, she was in hospital for a fractured leg and suffered complications following surgery.
An accomplished woman, Agnelli was Mayor of Monte Argentario (Grosseto) from 1974 to 1984, Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1991, Foreign Affairs Minister from 1995 to ’96 and President of the Telethon charity for the past 29 years.
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