AC Milan promises to perform full-force against Persib
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)