Post by Salem6 on Feb 4, 2004 10:27:10 GMT
Del Piero - bench role likely. (Getty Images)
Juventus warm up for Sunday's eagerly-awaited league game against Roma by hosting Inter Milan in Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg.
Sunday's 1-0 win against Chievo has brought added optimism for Marcello Lippi's men following some patchy performances - especially in defence - in recent weeks.
"It is an important victory, I am happy with the way our defence has played," said Lippi after watching his team see off the Verona club.
The Turin giants drew level with Roma in second position in Serie A after the Giallorossi's slip-up at Brescia at the weekend, where Fabio Capello's team were defeated 1-0.
However, the Bianconeri will need a victory in the Eternal City if they want to break away from Roma and keep up the pressure on leaders AC Milan, who are currently five points ahead.
With one eye on Sunday's vital encounter, Lippi is set to rest his key players when they take on Inter in the Coppa Italia.
Bianconeri strikers Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet are set to start on the bench as Italian duo Marco Di Vaio and Fabrizio Miccoli step in to form Juve's attacking line.
Juve, who are the kings of the Coppa Italia having won the trophy nine times, aim to clinch a place in the final following last year's disappointing exit at the quarter-final stages.
A convincing win on Wednesday would give the Bianconeri the cushion they are likely to need ahead of next week's return-leg at San Siro, and would put them in an excellent frame of mind for the trip to Roma at the weekend.
However, when the two teams met earlier in the season it was Inter who got the better of Juve with a 3-1 league victory at the Stadio Delle Alpi.
"They (Juve) will certainly think of that game but I don't think they will be looking for revenge," insisted Inter chief Alberto Zaccheroni.
"I don't know how they will play I am just focusing on how my team will play."
Although Inter ended a recent run of poor form with a 4-0 thrashing of Siena in Serie A on Sunday night, the Scudetto seems out of reach with the Nerazzurri trailing 13 points behind city rivals Milan.
"At this time the Scudetto seems very unlikely for us but we still have two other aims, the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup," said Inter forward Alvaro Recoba, who scored twice against Siena.
The Nerazzurri appear to have found their rhythm again their following the arrival of Brazilian forward Adriano and Serbo-Montenegrin midfielder Dejan Stankovic.
Zaccheroni hopes his team will repeat Sunday's commanding performance against the Tuscans.
"We played more aggressively, with more alternatives in attack, showing good football," he said.
Unlike Lippi, Zaccheroni will be forced to make some changes to his first XI.
Adriano and Alvaro Recoba will play up front as strikers Christian Vieri and Obafemi Martins are still recovering from injury.
Argentinian striker Julio Cruz is also unavailable as he serves a one-match ban.
In the other semi-final, Coppa Italia holders AC Milan host Lazio on Thursday in a game expected to herald the comeback of the Inzaghi brothers, Milan's Filippo and Lazio's Simone, who have both recovered from injury.
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