AC Milan promises to perform full-force against Persib
JAKARTA (JP): Forget the impossible dream of beating AC Milan, but a goal scored by national amateur intercity soccer champion Persib Bandung in its international friendly match against the European champion tomorrow will worth Rp 3 million (US$1,400).
"We know we will never beat Milan, even when we play on our home turf, but we will learn a lot from this rare opportunity," Persib team manager Ateng Wahyudi said during a press conference yesterday.
The morale-boosting reward was promised by amateur league administrator of the All Indonesia Football Association Agum Gumelar. Persib will receive another Rp 15 million ($7,000) if it manages to win, Agum said.
Atang said his team, who had undergone special training session at a hilly resort in Subang, West Java, was eager to battle it out against the dream team.
"We will not lose face, even if we suffer a 11-0 rout," Atang said. "I'm sure Milan will play their best as we will do the same," he added.
Persib will field the players who made up a triumphant team at last April's amateur intercity championship.
Sutiono, Persib's ace striker who was named the best player at the intercity championship, refused a pre-match boast, saying that he would show his class in tomorrow's battle.
The match, which reportedly cost the organizer, Republika daily, Rp 1 billion ($468,000), will be staged at the 100,000- seat Senayan stadium. Milan will have another friendly in Surabaya, East Java on Monday against a blend of local footballers who join the semi-professional league.
The organizers offered Milan $265,000 for its Jakarta's appearance and $125,000 more for the match in the 35,000-seat Tambaksari stadium in Surabaya, in a marked contrast to Persib's Rp 25 million ($11,700).
Despite the fact that their victory has practically been predetermined, soccer giant Milan, which won its 14th Italian premier league and its fifth Champions Cup trophy last month, promised to perform at full force against Persib.
"We are going to show our class as the best professional football team in the world this weekend," Fabio Capello, the head coach of the star-studded European team, told newsmen in a relaxed press-conference at the Horizon hotel.
Capello also assured the inquiring journalists that his squad will not perform half-heartedly at any stage of the friendly match.
Good time
"Although the humidity and heat is a bit of a problem, we will exhibit a good show and live up to your expectations," he said through an interpreter.
Indonesian soccer fans are still apparently sore with the performance of Sampdoria, the Italian club who visited this country last month, against the all-star Indonesian team.
Many spectators still remember that Sampdoria lost its spunk in the second half of the match.
Capello declined to project how many goals that AC Milan is expecting when it crushes Persib Bandung.
"We don't think like that," he said modestly.
At the same occasion, Ghanian-born booter Marcell Desailly also emphasized the same point.
"I just want the spectators to have a good time and not to worry about the number of goals that will be created," he said.
The press-conference was held in a relaxed atmosphere despite Capello's insistence on limiting the number of questions to 10.
Only representatives from the match's sponsors, A & E Sports Communications and the Republika daily, showed up in jacket and tie.
The AC Milan and Persib delegates were just wearing t-shirts, khakis or shorts.
One woman journalist could not even resist to ask Gianlugi Lentini whether he has a girlfriend.
"Actually, I do," he said. "But things can always be arranged."
The Horizon hotel was flocked by groupies as well as journalists.
About one hour before the conference, some teen-age autograph hunter girls chased Lentini, who was dressed only in his swimming trunks.
"Gianlugi! Stop for a minute, we want your autograph," they yelled. (hdj/amd)