20th March, 2012
Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero is set to start the club’s Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against AC Milan today, according to reports.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the 37-year-old will be handed the chance to impress in today’s game after failing to hold down a regular place in Juventus boss Antonio Conte’s first team plans.
It speculates that Del Piero will partner Montenegro striker Mirko Vucinic in attack against the Rossoneri.
Del Piero is set to leave Juve ntua at the end of this season after his contract was not renewed, and will be looking to make his final campaign at the Turin side a successful one.
In last month’s first leg, Martin Caceres scored twice as Juventus beat AC Milan at the San Siro to take control of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie.
Stephan El Shaarawy had brought the hosts level just after the hour mark in the first leg, only for Uruguayan Caceres to net a superb late winner for the Serie A leaders.
Del Piero also featured for Juventus in the win against Milan.
Juventus have one foot in the Coppa Italia final after a 2-1 win at San Siro in the first leg and should be full of confidence after their convincing 5-0 triumph over Fiorentina in Serie A.
Coach Antonio Conte looks set to go back to a 3-5-2 formation with Giorgio Chiellini recovering from injury to line-up alongside Leonardo Bonucci and Martin Caceres, who scored both goals for the Old Lady in the first leg, while Andrea Barzagli is still nursing a calf injury.
Meanwhile Stephan Lichtsteiner, suspended for the club’s next Serie A match versus Inter, and Paolo De Ceglie are pushed up into midfield.
Juve ntus striker Marco Borriello, playmaker Andrea Pirlo and goalkeeper Marco Storari are almost certain to face their former team from the starting whistle.
Needing to overturn the aggregate deficit, Rossoneri boss Massimiliano Allegri welcomes back centre-back Philippe Mexes while veterans Clarence Seedorf and Gennaro Gattuso could also make appearances at some point. However, although defender Alessandro Nesta and attacking midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng are back in training, neither is likely to participate on Tuesday.
Italy international Alberto Aquilani, who has made three substitute appearances in a row for the club, should be handed a first XI berth against his former team-mates while Robinho, Stephan El Shaarawy and Maxi Lopez are all vying for a spot in attack alongside star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.