Football
9y

Angelo Di Livio denies putting down Juventus on television

Angelo Di Livio insists he was not disrespectful towards former club Juventus in a TV show at the weekend, amid calls for his star to be removed from the forecourt of the Juventus Stadium.

The 48-year-old ex-midfielder spent six years with the Bianconeri, winning three Serie A titles as well as the Champions League in 1996.

Although he represented home-town club Roma only at youth level, he has not hidden the fact that he supports Juve's rivals -- but not to the point of ignoring or disregarding his past with the reigning Italian champions, as was claimed at the weekend.

"I was taking part in a forum with a few Roma pundits and the host asked, 'if we beat Juve, will that mean the title race is wide open?', to which I replied, 'if Juve are beaten, then it would mean there is a six-point gap, which is neither little nor a lot so the league would be wide open again,'" Di Livio told Tuttosport.

"I still have a recording of the show and never did I use the first person plural, and everybody who knows me knows how much I care about Juventus. I'm proud of my years there and people who have followed me will also know how often I've defended them here in Rome."

Since retiring, Di Livio has returned to his home city of Rome and he makes no secret of being a Roma fan at heart.

"I was a Roma fan even when I was playing for Juve," he said. "But that never prevented me from always giving my best for the Bianconeri. Being a fan is something entirely different. I've never had a bad word to say about Juve -- how could I?"

Di Livio finds suggestions that Juve should replace his star outside their stadium more offensive than his alleged remarks.

"Of course [I want to keep it]. I'm still proud to have worn a Juve shirt and I'm proud of that star, which was placed there because I was voted for by the fans. I'm sorry that it's all being questioned now by some people who didn't even listen to my words well."

Monday's top-of-the-table Serie A clash between Roma and league leaders Juve ended 1-1, with nine points the difference between the two clubs after the result.

"For me, the title's decided now," added Di Livio, who can no longer see Roma catching the Old Lady.

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