Post by Taxigirl on Feb 13, 2004 10:37:06 GMT
LIVE on British Eurosport (KO 7.30pm UK time)
Stadio Delle Alpi
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Juventus will need a show of force to put the 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Roma behind them, but Reggina won’t want to be lambs to the slaughter again.
The Bianconeri suffered their worst Serie A defeat in a decade when hammered in the Stadio Olimpico last Sunday night. Alessandro Del Piero was in the stands after suffering a muscular problem which tests later showed to be a minor twinge, so the captain should be back in the starting line-up to partner the ineffectual David Trezeguet.
The defence has been the real weak point of their campaign so far and is further hampered by the ban for Paolo Montero – who saw red at the Olimpico – while Mark Iuliano and Alessandro Birindelli are injured. 37-year-old Ciro Ferrara is recalled to make the difference, while Antonio Conte looks set to retain his spot in midfield.
Marcello Lippi insists that Juve’s Scudetto challenge is not over, but with eight points dividing them from leaders Milan it will take a remarkable string of results to turn this around. Morale is at an all time low and what they need now is a confident victory to get them back on track.
Reggina know this situation all too well, having come up against an Inter side in a similar situation and suffering a 6-0 drubbing as a result. Coach Giancarlo Camolese is already dealing with the aftermath of their disappointing 0-0 draw with ten-man Brescia last week, so the situation is extremely delicate.
Former Juve midfielder Davide Baiocco will not step back into the Delle Alpi due to a suspension, while David Di Michele and Paredes are probably out with injuries. Japanese international Shunsuke Nakamura would have been set for a rare start, but he has been called back to his homeland for a World Cup qualifier. Roberto Stellone, Gianluca Comotto, Stefano Torrisi and Giandomenico Mesto step in to the side, while Emiliano Bonazzoli is hoping to end his goal drought.
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Juventus (probable): Buffon; Thuram, Ferrara, Tudor, Zambrotta; Camoranesi, Tacchinardi, Conte; Nedved; Del Piero, Trezeguet
Reggina (probable): Belardi; Comotto, Torrisi, Franceschini; Mesto, Mozart, Tedesco, Falsini; Cozza; Stellone, Bonazzoli