Old boys hold key to Juventus pursuit of Milan
Reuters - Thursday 15 March 2012, 01:59
Juventus hope former forward
Amauri does not suddenly find his form this weekend and further
curtail their Serie A title bid while another ex could boost
their chances if Sebastian Giovinco downs leaders AC Milan.
Brazil-born Amauri signed for Juventus for 22 million euros from Palermo in 2008 but after a promising
start his career nosedived and he now plays for struggling
Fiorentina, who host Juve on Saturday.
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli gave Amauri his international
debut in 2010 but it turned out to be his only cap and the
31-year-old's last goal was on loan at Parma last April.
"Amauri has promised me his first goal for Fiorentina this
Saturday," the Florence club's chief executive Sandro Mencucci
told reporters.
Juve, who have slipped four points behind champions Milan
after drawing three straight matches, will think it is just
their recent luck if Amauri breaks his drought against them.
Still, to many Juve fans the fact they are in a title race
after several seasons of woe following their 2006 match-fixing
demotion is progress enough.
President Andrea Agnelli backed coach Antonio Conte this
week for helping return the Turin club, the most successful
Italian side domestically, to the upper echelons of the game.
"The manager and his players are enjoying a truly
commendable season" he told reporters.
"They know that there are 11 championship games to go and
possibly another two in the Coppa Italia, they're aware that
there's the possibility to obtain prestigious results so we'll
be perfectly calm in trying to reach our targets."
While hoping Amauri does not score on Saturday, Juve will be
urging on fellow former forward Sebastian Giovinco when his
stuttering Parma side entertain Milan.
Robinho is a slight doubt for Milan after injuring his calf
in training while Philippe Mexes is banned but Clarence Seedorf
and Maxi Lopez may be fit enough to return on the bench.
Milan centre-back Daniele Bonera, who may again fill in for
Mexes, is an ex-Parma player and is expecting a difficult game.
"Opponents give something extra when they play Milan and
Parma at home have always done well. We have to be careful," he
told Milan Channel before hailing Antonio Nocerino, the midfield
revelation of the year after average spells at Juve and Palermo.
"It's a great advantage for us to have a player like
Nocerino. When he came in, perhaps we didn't expect that he
could do what he is doing."
Fourth-placed Napoli, fresh from their Champions League
heartbreak in the last 16 against Chelsea, travel to Udinese in
fifth on Sunday as the fight for the third and final
Champions League qualifying spot for next term hots up.
Lazio, who sit third and have a two-point cushion over
Napoli and Udinese, head to in-form Catania on Sunday.
Seventh-placed Inter Milan, eliminated from the Champions
League by Olympique Marseille on Tuesday, host Atalanta
as they continue their unlikely quest to reach next season's
competition by making up an eight-point gap to the Romans.