i know i might have dissapointed u all last week by posting the last
mail saying that bati may not go to the WC.
Well, here's one mail which says that he may infact go.
Another point i had to make was that i say bati against liverpool at
anfield and again he was dissapointing!!


Batistuta convinced he will go to World Cup

BUENOS AIRES, March 15 (Reuters) - Argentina's record-breaking
goalscorer Gabriel Batistuta says he is sure he would be picked for
the World Cup even though he has been repeatedly overlooked by his
country for the last year.

Gabriel Batistuta: Argentina are at the top of their game
(DavidLeah/Allsport)
Batitusta, who has lost his place to rival Hernan Crespo since
suffering a knee injury at the end of 2000, was again left out of the
squad for this month's friendly against Cameroon.

'One always wants to play for the national team and despite not
having been chosen for this game, I'm convinced I will be at the
World Cup,' Batistuta told Radio La Red from Italy on Friday.

'That's where my head is. I want to play and I want to win.'

Crespo and Batistuta are two of the world's top strikers but have not
started a game together since Bielsa took over in 1999.

Although Bielsa has never publicly said so, commentators believe he
thinks the pair are too similar to be fielded together.

Batistuta, who has scored 55 goals in 75 appearances, has only played
once in the last year but marked the occasion with a goal, scoring
the equaliser as Argentina drew 2-2 away to Paraguay in a World Cup
qualifier.

He has had a frustrating injury-plagued season with Roma in Italy but
said he has put his knee injury behind him.

'The knee's fine and that has lifted my spirits,' he said.

'I've got my head in the World Cup, but that does not affect me when
I go onto the field (for Roma). If you go onto the field wondering
what about might happen, that makes it worse.'

Batistuta said he considered Argentina favourites to win a third
world title.

'If we put all the cards on the table, Argentina have a great chance
to be champions, and this is not something that I am inventing.

'The fact that Argentina are candidates does not put any more
pressure on me.'

Argentina face Nigeria, Sweden and old rivals England in the first
round in the so-called group of death.

ROMA BRAWL

Batistuta said he expected to be punished by European soccer's
governing body UEFA for his part in the brawl at the end of
Wednesday's Champions League game at home to Turkish club
Galatasaray.

He admitted he was involved in the scenes which ended with 13 police
injured after they had attemted to separate fighting players.

'I let my nerves get the better of me,' he said. 'The worst of it is
that everybody saw it, that's the saddest thing.'

'I'm expecting a punishment because I reacted to the verbal attacks
of the Turks in front of the television, but I don't believe I
deserve what's coming for me.'