Juventus to assess Del Neri's position at end of season

MILAN (Reuters) -- Juventus boss Luigi Del Neri runs the risk of being sacked at the end of the season after the club's sporting director said on Tuesday the coach's future would be discussed in May.

Juve finished a poor seventh in Serie A last term, leading to coach Alberto Zaccheroni not having his deal extended, but this term the faltering twice European Cup winners are in exactly the same position.

"The club will make its decisions based on the work done by the coach during the season. We have a two-year deal with Del Neri and we will talk with him and consider several issues," Beppe Marotta told Sky Italia.

"The club does not stop, we will think things over and we will deal with the issue of the coach at the right moment."

Marotta also said the once mighty club would soon tie up a deal for veteran striker Alessandro del Piero to stay in Turin for one more season and hope to complete the permanent signing from Liverpool of on-loan midfielder Alberto Aquilani.

Juve do not want to lose goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Marotta added without giving a definite guarantee the Italy stopper would stay while interest in Manchester City's Carlos Tevez is concrete but any deal would "not be easy".