Didier calms tense Del Piero Sunday 22 October, 2006
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Alessandro Del Piero is unhappy at his substitution and inability to hit the 200-goal mark, but Didier Deschamps tried to reassure the Juventus hero.
Having suffered in silence for the past two years under Fabio Capello, which saw him regularly replaced or even left on the bench, Alex hoped he would no longer face the same indignities in Serie B.
However, on Saturday he was substituted again during the 1-0 win away to Triestina and was visibly upset, going straight down the players’ tunnel rather than sit on the sidelines with his teammates.
“He just didn’t want to catch a chill,” joked Deschamps. “He’s going through a difficult time right now. We cannot doubt his quality, but it’s not easy to ignore the outside pressure.”
The media has been eagerly-awaiting his 200th goal in a Juventus jersey, but since hitting 199 he hasn’t been able to break through and some believe it is a psychological issue.
“The less he thinks about that goal, the sooner it will arrive,” assured the Coach. “Ale will free himself of this situation. As for the substitution, I try to make the best decisions for the good of the team.”