Del Piero eyes start against Udinese after goal

Rome: Juventus stalwart Alessandro Del Piero could be in line for a rare league start when the leaders host third-placed Udinese today following his superb strike in the Italian Cup in midweek.

Del Piero netted his first goal at Juve's new stadium in Tuesday's 3-0 quarter-final win over AS Roma and, with Mirko Vucinic and Fabio Quagliarella not fully fit, the 37-year-old hopes ex-teammate-turned-coach Antonio Conte again gives him the nod. "If you had asked me to imagine my first goal in our new stadium, I would have dreamt it like that," Juve's record scorer Del Piero said on his own website.

Semi-final

"I've scored my first goal. Let's say it is a good start..."

Juve, who will play AC Milan in the Italian Cup semi-final after the Rossoneri's 3-1 win over Lazio on Thursday, are hoping to wrap up the re-signing of Sevilla defender Martin Caceres.