Del Neri takes side-swipe at Buffon
Reuters - Saturday 06 November 2010, 15:30
MILAN - Juventus coach Luigi Del Neri had a
minor side-swipe at absent goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon on
Saturday but was more concerned about two new injuries to hit
his already stretched squad.
Buffon, who last played in Italy's first game at the World
Cup, is recovering from back surgery but missed a team
photoshoot on Friday and has appeared little at the training
ground.
His absence led to media speculation his days at Juve could
be numbered.
"You'll need to ask him why he's not been around much. Maybe
he could have come to the training ground a few times," Del Neri
told a news conference, adding he hoped Buffon would be fit by
January.
More pressing for Del Neri is news that Serbia winger Milos
Krasic and defender Nicola Legrottaglie have been ruled out for
around 25 and 40 days respectively with thigh problems.
"Everything is going against us at the moment," said Del
Neri, whose side won 2-1 at AC Milan last week to rise up to
fourth in Serie A.
Juve, who drew 0-0 at home to Salzburg in Thursday's Europa
League to complicate their chances of progressing, have a string
of other injuries.
Left-back Fabio Grosso was dropped from the first team squad
at the start of the campaign for rejecting a move away.