Post by Taxigirl on Dec 1, 2003 10:55:37 GMT
Juventus will rest a number of first team regulars in Tuesday’s rearranged Champions’ League clash against Galatasaray.
The Bianconeri will fly out to Dortmund today, where the game will be played because of safety fears in Turkey, without five of their best players.
Alex Del Piero, Gianluca Zambrotta, Lilian Thuram, Alessio Tacchinardi and Nicola Legrottaglie will all remain in Turin. Salvatore Fresi also misses out.
The Italian champions have already qualified for the next phase of the tournament and only need a point from their last two games to make sure they win their group.
However, the Old Lady will be keen to put in a decent display after they were criticised for their shock 3-1 home defeat to Inter on Saturday.
"It was just one of those days," stated Tacchinardi after his side tasted defeat for the first time this term. "It’s the first game that we have failed to perform in and these things happen.
"Inter were more motivated than us. But that doesn’t mean that we underestimated them.
"We’ve suffered similar defeats in the past, even in the years when we walked away with the championship."
Meanwhile, the Turin giants reportedly have two Lazio players on their wanted list for next summer.
Both midfielder Stefano Fiore, valued at £6.5m, and defender Massimo Oddo, at £5m, are being chased by transfer chief Luciano Moggi.