Post by Taxigirl on Jan 7, 2004 9:29:55 GMT
Pavel Nedved has dedicated his match winning display against Perugia to the Juventus fans.
The Stadio Delle Alpi crowd put on a real show before the 1-0 win over Perugia on Tuesday as the Czech ace showed off his Golden Ball award.
"I was really eager to do well after the reception that I got from the fans and my teammates before the game," said the newly crowned European Footballer of the Year.
"They showed their affection and I must admit that affected me at the start of the game. But fortunately I found my feet and managed to score too."
And what a goal it was as his 25-yard strike was the only difference between the two sides in a tight affair.
It was a win that the Italian champions definitely needed after two losses and a draw in their last four League games.
"We usually do a lot better in the second half of the season though," continued the former Lazio star.
"Let’s hope that we can continue with that trend this season too. We’re just happy to have got back on track."