Donadoni hands Del Piero Euro 2008 boost

April 29, 2008

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Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said in an interview published in La Repubblica on Tuesday that as things stand he will take Alessandro Del Piero to Euro 2008.

Del Piero, who started the season on the Juventus bench, has been in fine form since the turn of the year and the clamour for his return to the national team set-up has been growing.

The veteran striker has been left out of Donadoni's recent squads but his 18 goals in Serie A this season seem to have forced the coach into a re-think.

Asked if he would call up Del Piero for the tournament in Austria and Switzerland in June, Donadoni said: “Ten months ago no but now yes.

“The facts speak for themselves but I'll only talk about my squad when the time is right.

“It seems that many people want to create problems for me. There's one thing I'm already certain about, with players such as Del Piero and others, whatever choices I make, they won't cause a fuss.”

Donadoni has other problems to contend with as he will be out of contract after the finals and has turned down a conditional extension offer from the Italian Federation.

“I would have lost my dignity if I had accepted the proposal they put to me,” he said.

“But in Austria and Switzerland we'll be going there to win. We're going there aiming high, that's for sure.

“If after that our paths separate, we'll leave on friendly terms.”

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