Juventus deny Pirlo speculation
Reuters - Friday 18 February 2011, 13:36
ROME - Brief news ahead of this weekend's
Serie A matches.
Juventus sporting director Beppe Marotta has laughed off
newspaper speculation that the Turin club might try to sign
Andrea Pirlo from AC Milan with his Rossoneri contract expiring
at the end of the season.
"There is nothing true in these rumours," Marotta told
reporters ahead of Sunday's trip to Lecce.
He also said talks to prolong Alessandro Del Piero's
contract for another season were progressing and that turning
Alberto Aquilani's loan from Liverpool into a permanent move was
a priority.
Leaders AC Milan have said Gennaro Gattuso can keep the
vice captain's role at Chievo on Sunday despite his
altercation with Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Joe Jordan
after Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League last-16 first leg defeat.
"He is not a criminal," Milan chief executive Adriano
Galliani told reporters.
Third-placed Inter Milan, who closed to within five points
of Milan with a midweek win over Fiorentina, host Cagliari on
Saturday without injured trio Wesley Sneijder, Lucio and
Diego Milito while Cristian Chivu is banned.
Palermo visit Bologna on Saturday with their
Champions League dream fading but coach Delio Rossi is safe in
his job for now, club president Maurizio Zamparini told
reporters.
"At the very last he will stay until the end of the season,
then there is the option of a renewal and we are seeing what
happens between now and May," he said.
Palermo's Uruguayan forward Abel Hernandez was robbed at
gunpoint but could play despite being shaken up.
Second-placed Napoli welcome Catania on Sunday with
striker Giuseppe Mascara set to face his old side as Ezequiel
Lavezzi is banned.
Lazio in fourth will be without injured captain Stefano
Mauri for Sunday's home encounter with bottom side Bari,
who will look to build on last weekend's 0-0 draw with Genoa in
Bortolo Mutti's first game in charge.