Juve fail to profit

ByEurosport

Published 01/04/2006 at 18:09 GMT

Milan slipped a further point behind leaders Juventus as they were beaten 1-0 at Lecce as Juve drew with bottom side Treviso on Saturday. Both sides clearly had their minds on next week's Champions League second legs, with Cedric Konan grabbing Lecce's wi

Despite the disappointing result and performance from Juventus, Fabio Capello's side extended their lead over Milan to nine points with just six games remaining.

Juventus face Arsenal in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday after falling to a 2-0 defeat in London last week.

Milan are at home to Lyon on Tuesday with their tie goalless after the first leg in France.

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The third Italian team in the last eight in Europe, Inter Milan, were due to face Messina at the San Siro later on Saturday.

Milan, who rested several of their top players including Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko and Brazilian Kaka, dominated the opening 45 minutes at Lecce but home keeper Vincenzo Sicignano was in inspired form.

Sicignano was out quickly to foil Alberto Gilardino in the fourth minute and 15 minutes later produced an excellent save to keep out a strike from the Milan striker who had been well-served by Rui Costa.

The Portuguese midfielder then went close to the opener 12 minutes before the break but again the Lecce keeper came to the rescue of his side, tipping the ball over the bar.

Carlo Ancelotti's side were left to regret those unconverted chances when nine minutes after the restart Mirko Vucinic broke on a counter-attack and fed Konan who beat Dida with a clinical finish.

RELIEVED CAPELLO

Juve also had plenty of chances in their first half. Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic hit the post and his strike partner David Trezeguet found the side-netting while Romanian Adrian Mutu flashed a free kick just wide.

At the other end Treviso forward Marco Borriello had a deflected free kick smash against Gianluigi Buffon's right-hand post.

FOOTBALL 2005-2006 Serie A Treviso Juventus Kovac

Image credit: Reuters

The Serie A leaders faded after the break, though, with Treviso finishing the game strongly and the draw meant Capello was relieved to hear the result from Lecce.

Unlike Ancelotti, Capello did not rotate his squad before the midweek European commitments and said the results had proved him right.

"It was an important game in the championship -- if we'd have lost and Milan won then it would have been very significant. We got a point, they didn't, so it was a good for us," he told Italy's Sky Sport.

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