Ranieri recovers Juve stars
Claudio Ranieri breathes a sigh of relief after Alex Del Piero and Gigi Buffon make the trip to Udinese, but questions remain over the goalkeeper.
There were fears that both World Cup winners would be forced to miss out on the match between third and sixth.
Del Piero picked up a knock to his knee during training, but has seemingly recovered, while Buffon is in the squad after weeks of a recurrent back problem.
“Everyone is available and ready,” assured the Juventus Coach. “In fact, if there had been a few more injuries I’d have had easier decisions to make!”
There are still concerns over Buffon so Emanuele Belardi is ready to deputise, as well as January signing Momo Sissoko, who made his debut as a substitute in last week’s 1-1 draw with Cagliari.
“Sissoko is ready to play from the start, but I will decide this evening and the same goes for Buffon. The midfielder has to understand fully what he needs to do and the style we play in.
“He is at an advantage in this sense, because Liverpool also play with two 'organisers’ and the creative wingers. Basically they are similar systems.”
One of the wide men is Raffaele Palladino, who complained this week that he is not used enough at club level despite being a regular in the Italy squad.
“He is player worthy of Juventus. I understand he wants to prove something, maybe I am too demanding,” mused Ranieri.
“The work he does for the Nazionale is more or less the same as at Juve. I am happy he’s champing at the bit, it means the lad is eager. He needs to relax. I have put my faith in him, as Palladino has played more than Vincenzo Iaquinta, who is a World Cup winner.”
Mauro Camoranesi is also fighting to be fully fit, while Jonathan Zebina and Giorgio Chiellini return to the side after a month on the sidelines.
Long-term absentees Jorge Andrade and Marco Marchionni are the only ones to miss out along with the suspended Guglielmo Stendardo.
“It is a long season, but if we can keep the other sides at bay then that is better,” smiled the Coach ahead of this fight for a top four finish.
It’s a dangerous encounter, as Udinese won 1-0 in Turin back on September 16, when Del Piero unluckily hit the woodwork three times.
“The last time we met I said so at the end, we wouldn’t have scored that day even if we’d punched the ball. Now we have to do well, we are in good shape and I expect a positive response.”
Yet the Bianconeri have only picked up six points from their last four games against less than exalted competition.
“Over the course of a campaign there are matches you win without deserving to and vice-versa. I am satisfied with how the team is performing. There can be regrets over the Coppa Italia exit or a few dropped points, but we are aware we gave our all.”
Juventus squad: Buffon, Birindelli, Chiellini, Zebina, Zanetti, Salihamidzic, Camoranesi, Iaquinta, Del Piero, Nedved, Belardi, Trezeguet, Palladino, Grygera, Sissoko, Nocerino, Molinaro, Tiago, Novembre, Legrottaglie
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