Lippi explains Del Piero axe

Italy coach Marcello Lippi defended his decision to omit Alessandro Del Piero from the team's World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Montenegro.

كتب : Amro Hassan

الثلاثاء، 07 أكتوبر 2008 - 17:15
Italy coach Marcello Lippi defended his decision to omit Alessandro Del Piero from the team's World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Montenegro.

"I called Del Piero and we spoke about it. I told him that that I wanted to see what some new players could do and he understood," Lippi was quoted as saying by Calcio Italia.

"I also told him to keep doing what he has always done."

Lippi has also decided to hand Azzuri debut calls to defender Fabiano Santacroce, Christiano Maggio and the striking pair of Giuseppe Rossi and Simone Pepe.

"Santacroce has a physical dynamism and he is quick, He can play in a few positions and he is a lad for the future."

"Considering Mauro Camoranesi's problems, Maggio seemed like the logical choice," added Lippi.

Apart of Camoranesi, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will be the only other absentee from Lippi's squad due to injury.