PTT Rayong end Del Piero chase as Sydney FC keen to re-sign Italian
Thai Premier League club PTT Rayong has given up its effort to sign former Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero after it emerged that his current club Sydney FC is set to offer him a new contract following the Italian's starring performance at the weekend.
After a week of intense speculation over his future in the Australian A-League team, the 39-year-old kept his focus on the action on the pitch with a man-of-the match performance in Sydney’s 5-0 defeat of Melbourne Victory on Sunday.
PTT Rayong, who are owned by the country’s richest company, Petroleum Authority of Thailand, had won the third and final promotion ticket to the country’s top-flight league last season. Pol Lt-Gen Prawut Thawornsiri, the PTT Rayong manager, acknowledged that Del Piero’s outstanding form did little good to the team’s chances of luring him away from the Sydney-based team.
“I followed Sydney’s recent league outing. They had a magnificent game at Melbourne where they won 5-0, with Del Piero netting twice. Despite his age, he still plays well and we showed that we are keen to have him here.
“After the game, his agent told us that the Sydney FC management made it clear they wanted to retain his services. They’re considering offering Del Piero a new contract. Nothing is clear at this stage and Del Piero himself did not say anything about that,” said Prawut.
Roma close gap on Juve
Captain Francesco Totti scored late from the spot to cap a crucial 3-1 win for Roma away to Verona which closed the gap on leaders Juventus to six points on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Giampaolo Pazzini scored a late winner for AC Milan in a precious 2-1 win away to Cagliari, while city rivals Inter were held to a scoreless draw at home by basement side Catania.
Livorno boosted their relegation battle with a 3-1 home win over Sassuolo, while at the other end of the table Torino and Parma both moved up one place to sixth and seventh with 1-0 wins over Atalanta and Udinese respectively.
Napoli, in third, were also held 1-1 by visitors Chievo and are 12 points adrift of Juventus.
Totti was quick to underline Roma’s scudetto ambitions when he told Sky Sport Italia: “After Juve’s slip-up yesterday we put pressure on ourselves to take the three points.
“I think we’ve fired a warning shot with regard to the championship fight. We’re on a par with Juve.”
Roma were by far the more creative side against Verona.
