Zebina: "It’s been a fight"
“I don’t know whether it’s been a spectacular game but winning was the aim. And it’s been a fight.” Jonathan Zebina has played a vigorous match, pushing on the flank and covering in defence, playing very hard. In the second half, the Frenchman was forced to get out by a muscle injury, a suspect strain to his left adductor. His condition will be analysed in the next 48 hours. Until then, Jonathan is enjoying such a brilliant and deserved win and the lead in the standings that seems to be more and more solid: “We knew we were in a good condition and took advantage of that, playing with humility and taking home three points against a top team. Roma is the first top club we’ve met in the championship so far and we’ve proved we can win over small teams, as well as top ones.”
Camoranesi: "Three hard-earned points"
“To win the game hasn’t been easy at all . Roma was fielded in a way that made it quite hard to find open spaces.”
Mauro Camoranesi underlines the importance of the victory over AS Roma, which, especially in the first part of the game, was tight in defence: “They played with seven defending midfielders and it’s been hard to tie the break. Thankfully, Alex did so with a great goal. Roma is still an excellent team and when the three forwards aim at the net, that make your legs tremble. We’ve succeeded in holding the advantage and closing the match. We wanted to maintain the lead of the standing with a five point advantage and we’ve managed to do so. However, we cannot talk about of a breakaway or teams cut off from the race to the title. It’s still too soon.”
Emerson’s comment
The only hard line in Emerson’s night, along with a usual good performance, has been his expulsion for double yellow card that the Brazilian comments: ‘I always try to be correct and professional. Unfortunately it went like this, I’m sorry I will miss the next game’. Ranking, though, is a reason to be happy for (‘We have to go on this way’), as well as Zalyeta’s goal: “I’m very happy for him, he’s a hard working guy and when he plays he’s always on target.”
Capello’s satisfaction
Fabio Capello comments the 2-0 against Roma: “I’m satisfied with the team’s performance, that suffered early in the match, but subsequent Nedved’s change of position has been decisive, and Buffon’s save close to the end of the first half has been even more. From that moment on we left almost nothing to our opponents”. He’s asked if Roma, with this defeat, could be called out of the championship’s race: ‘It’s a team playing a good football, championship is long for everybody’. Already thinking about Chievo? ‘It’ll be a tough match where turnover will be needed, also because of Emerson’s suspension’. Finally on Zebina: ‘He has a problem with his left adductor, he’s apparently recovering, we’ll see in the next few days’.
Masterful Juventus!
In a show of strength, Juventus dominates the game at the Delle Alpi and wins a deserved 2-0 against AS Roma. Under a downpour, goals by Del Piero and Zalayeta
Fabio Capello fields the same roster who played a definitely good match against Siena five days ago. The first twenty minutes are lively but lack in scoring occasions. Ibrahimovic is well assisted by Del Piero on the 4’ but Zotti clears. Two minutes later Roma hits back with Montella, intercepted by Buffon. After 13 minutes into the first half, Nedved crosses for Ibrahimovic who shoots wide over the crossbar and on the 23’ a fine conclusion by Camoranesi finishes over the bar. Juventus’s supremacy rises and Capello’s squad becomes more dangerous after 30 minutes with a free kick by Nedved, diverted into the corner and later, after a corner shot by the Czech, with a header by Emerson wide of the target. The deserved winning goal comes on the 31’, sealed by Del Piero.
Served by Camoranesi, the captain fires a fine right-footed shot from the edge of the box that the Giallorossi’s goalkeeper just can’t keep (1-0). Roma tries to treact with a couple of attempts by Totti but it’s still the Bianconeri who come close to double their lead on the 40’ when Ibrahimovic nods in past Zotti. The action is adjuged irregular by Collina who nullifies the goal. In the dying moments of the half, Buffon blocks a right-footed shot by Montella and a dangerous free kick by Totti is just wide of the post.
The second half kicks off with a substitution by Roma, with Mancini replacing Sartor. The Giallorossi’s defence is soon threatened by Camoranesi who gets into the box and Collina lets it go when the Argentine-born is closed by two defenders. Then it’s Del Piero’s turn to go for the goal on a free kick but Zotti saves. Capello replaces the injured Zebina with Pessotto and later on Del Piero with Zalayeta. The Uruguayan, who, like the captain, is in a great condition, makes an impressive entrance by scoring within 2 minutes. His applause-worthy action is set up also thanks to Ibrahimovic’s pass into the goal area, when Zalayeta gets rid of two defenders and beats Zotti (2-0). The Giallorossi try to hit back with Totti and Montella, in vain. In the last few minutes, the Bianconeri remain 10 due to the sending off of Emerson for two bookable fouls; however, the homeside is still in control of the game and helds for the win.
JUVENTUS – ROMA 2-0
GOALS: 31’ fh Del Piero, 29’sh Zalayeta
JUVENTUS: Buffon, Zebina (21’ sh Pessotto), Thuram, Cannavaro, Zambrotta,Camoranesi, Emerson, Appiah, Nedved, Ibrahimovic (42’ sh Kapo), Del Piero (27’ sh Zalayeta). Manager: Capello. Substitues: Bonnefoi, Ferrara,Tacchinardi, Pessotto, Kapo, Olivera, Zalayeta.
ROMA: Zotti, Sartor (1’ sh Mancini), Ferrari, Dellas, Mexes, Cufré, Perrotta, Aquilani, Cassano, Totti, Montella. Manager Del Neri. Substitues: Curci, Scurto, D’Agostino, Delvecchio, De Martino, Mancini, Mido.
REFEREE: Collina
YELLOW CARDS: 8’fh Cufré, 27’fh Ferrari, 36’fh Nedved, 47’fh e 44’sh Emerson, 12’sh Camoranesi, 18’sh Appiah, 21’sh Aquilani, 31’sh Dellas
SENT OFF: 44’sh Emerson for two bookable fouls
SPECTATORS: 27.764
PROCEEDS: 683.991