Gianluigi Buffon - From Berlin to B, and back again

With victory over Real Madrid in the semi-final, Gianluigi Buffon had confirmed the final leg of a remarkable journey. Much has been made of the fact that the venue of this year’s Champions League Final is Berlin, and the significance this has for some of the Juventus squad. Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Barzagli, and Buffon were part of the Italy squad that won the World Cup in 2006, defeating France on penalties in the final at Berlin. In 2006, the Italian cry ahead of the final was Andiamo a Berlino. Now, its Torniamo a Berlino. However, unlike Pirlo and Barzagli, the journey to the biggest club game in the World has been one full of challenges for Gigi Buffon, and it’s been one that has its origins in that summer of 2006.

It takes an excellent goalkeeper to lead his team to a World Cup Final. From 2002 up until 2010 especially, there were clear candidates in this role. Oliver Kahn was widely praised for his outstanding goalkeeping in the 2002 World Cup, which led to him being named as the Best Player in the Tournament. Iker Casillas bounced back from an indifferent group stage to keep 4 straight clean sheets on his way to the title. In 2006, Gianluigi Buffon conceded two goals throughout the entirety of the World Cup. These consisted of an own goal from Cristian Zaccardo, and a penalty in the final from Zinedine Zidane. Throughout the tournament, he regularly made fantastic saves that kept Italy in control of their destiny, none more than his performance in the semi-final against Germany. What has gone in history as a true football classic, the sides remained deadlocked up until the final minute of extra time before Fabio Grosso curled a first time shot beyond Jens Lehmann. The full back was soon mobbed during the celebrations, and in amongst the pile of players was Buffon, delirious at the breakthrough but urging his players back to his feet at the same time. Alessandro Del Piero added a second moments later, completing one of the most fascinating finishes to World Cup match ever.

Throughout that World Cup however, Italian football was in turmoil. Before the tournament in Germany kicked off, a scandal was uncovered by Italian police, implicating Juventus, reigning League Champions, and other major teams including AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Reggina in a match fixing scandal. A number of telephone interceptions showed an in depth network of relations between team managers and referee organizations, and these teams were accused of rigging matches by selecting favourable referees. On the 4 July, the same day as that epic semi-final between Germany and Italy, chief prosecutor from the Italian Football Federation Stefano Palazzi called for all the clubs at the centre of the scandal to be thrown out of the Serie A. The most draconian of punishments were proposed and laid down for Juventus, deemed to be the biggest offenders. Their initial sanction was

·      Immediate demotion to Serie B

·      A 30 point deduction

·      A €31 million fine

·      stripped of the 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles

·      expulsion from the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League

·      Three home games behind closed doors

Only through appeal was the points deduction reduced to nine, making a return to the Serie A, a much more realistic possibility than before. The fine was also removed. However, the challenge ahead for Juventus to return to the Serie A and the elite of European football still remained a long and difficult task.


The Serie B. No longer would Juventus face the likes of Roma, Milan and Napoli but now the unfamiliar names of Crotone, Mantova and AlbinoLeffe. And they would do it without many star names. No sooner had the World Cup ended did the mass exodus begin. Faced with playing in the second tier, Fabio Cannavaro, Italian captain, Brazilian midfielder Emerson and manager Fabio Capello all promptly departed for Real Madrid. Lillian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta to Barcelona. Patrick Vieira and Zlatan Ibrahimovic moved to rivals Inter Milan. All first team players, all World Class players. Juventus were left to play outside the top flight for the first time in their history without the nucleus of their current squad. However, Buffon decided to stay. The hero of the recent World Cup and irreplaceable man between the sticks was going to stick around in the second tier. He said of his decision, “It was an instinctive decision to stay. I didn’t have to think about it. It was a moment of difficulty for the club, and unthinkable to leave”. It was a decision that the club are still reaping the benefit from to this day.


It was such admirable loyalty that forever endeared him to the Juventus support, along with Pavel Nedved, David Trezeguet, and Mauro Camorenesi. It was truly unthinkable to imagine someone like Del Piero leaving in such circumstances, and he didn’t. However, Buffon was 28, and without any argument, the best goalkeeper in the World. That same summer, AC Milan were facing an uncertain future, albeit suffering less severe sanctions than Juventus. Andrea Pirlo had his sights set on Real Madrid also, having been offered a contract from Los Blancos. In response, AC Milan offered Pirlo a blank contract, allowing him to decide his own wages in order to keep him. With the threat of demotion not hanging over AC Milan, it was easier for Pirlo to stay where he was. It is safe to say though, that there would have been a number of teams across Europe alone that would have considered offering a blank contract for the services of Buffon. Aside from that however, allegations were levelled against the goalkeeper of illegally betting on Serie A matches during the height of Calciopoli scandal.  It initially put his place in Italy's 2006 World Cup squad at risk, and he was formally interrogated over the allegations. While admitting placing bets on sporting matches, before regulations preventing players to do so were introduced in October 2005, he denied ever placing wagers on Italian football matches. He was cleared of all charges in December 2006, and the overall experiences off the field could have easily convinced him to leave Italian football altogether.


It was a difficult situation for all involved with the club. On the field saw massive squad turnover and demotion. Off the field, as disgraced officials removed from office, they were also searching for a new stadium. That summer they decided to leave the Stadio Delle Alpi in search of a new home. The 69’000 capacity stadium was never truly seen as a fortress in the eyes of Juve fans. The athletics track impacted on the sightline for fans and often diluted the impressive tifosi displays in the ground, stifling the overall atmosphere. If the ground looked out of place at times in the Serie A, then it would been a sight for sore eyes in the Serie B. The demotion to the second tier was not the reason the club left the ground, however, as they sought to be in control of their own destiny. They decided to build a more supporter friendly stadium that would give them greater sources of revenue in the future. The new Juventus Stadium would be eventually be opened in 2011. In the meantime, the club played their games at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, another controversial ground given its low capacity. In this time of great transition for the club, supporters and officials alike looked to its loyal servants like Del Piero and Buffon for leadership.


Didier Deschamps replaced Capello as Juventus manager and set about returning to the top tier at the first attempt. He built his team around those who stayed, youth players such as Claudio Marchisio, and experienced signings like Robert Kovač and Jean-Alain Boumsong. Despite these additions, Juventus stumbled in their opening game of the season, a 1-1 draw away to Rimini, who were reduced to 10 men in the 2^nd half. Having won footballs ultimate prize in front of 69’000 people that summer, Buffon and Del Piero had failed to overcome Italian second tier opposition in front of less than 10’000 spectators. An article in the Guardian titled “Sloppy Juventus suffer a rude awakening” said of their performance “Italy's disgraced champions stumble in Rimini on their first Serie B assignment”. Buffon lamented the poor nature of their performance, “We had the wrong attitude. We have the qualities of a great side, but not the concentration. We have to forget all the success we have achieved and dive into the new adventure.”


The words proved prophetic as Juventus won the Serie B title the following May by 6 points ahead of Napoli, despite their points deduction. Buffon made 37 appearances in the division that season, conceding 21 goals. Juventus had negotiated the first difficult step on their road to redemption. Deschamps decided to resign before the end of the 2006-07 and was ultimately replaced by Claudio Ranieri. For the first campaign back in the Serie A, Ranieri strengthened the squad with names such as Hasan Salihamidžić, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Zdeněk Grygera. Once again, however, it was Buffon who was key for the Blanconeri that season, as they finished 3^rd in their first season back. Buffon was named Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for the seventh time in his career. A seventh award might have you think it would have less meaning but given the rapid nature of their return to the elite of Italian football and Buffon’s involvement in that comeback, it was a worthy achievement for the goalkeeper.


Injury problems stemming from a herniated disc in his back, surfaced during the 2007-08 season and became troubling enough keep Buffon out for long periods of the following season. His deputy, Alex Manniger performed well enough to keep the position, as recurring injuries disrupted Buffon’s form and consistency. Despite these setbacks, he was adamant he wanted to stay at the club and signed a 5 year contract, stating his ambition to win everything at the club. Juventus reached the last 16 of the Champions League that season, losing out to Chelsea and eventually finished 2^nd in the League behind Inter Milan. However, Ranieri and the club reached a mutual agreement for his departure as manager that summer, and he was replaced by club legend and Buffon’s former team-mate, Ciro Ferrerra. Despite starting the season strongly, Buffon and the squad suffered a severe dip in form, suffering elimination from the group stage of the Champions League in December. Ferrara was sacked in January 2010. His interim replacement Alberto Zaccheroni could only lead the club to 7^th place in the league, and a quarter final appearance in the Europa League. Injuries continued to plague Buffon into the 2010-11 season as Juventus woes continued, even with a new manager in Luigi Del Neri. The keeper only made 16 league appearances as Juventus finished 7^th again, missing out on European football for the first time in 20 years.


Despite making a rapid ascent to the top table of Italian football, Juventus had regressed and stagnated in the years that followed. Buffon had for the first time in his career battled with injuries for long periods that affected not only his form but the clubs as well. As the club entered their new stadium, they had a new manager in Antonio Conte, another former team-mate of Buffon’s. With his injury woes behind him, Buffon re-found his form, making numerous important saves throughout the season. The highlight of these included saving a penalty from Francesco Totti, which enabled Juventus to secure a vital draw away to Roma. Crucial results were coming to fore once again as Juventus began to dominate the Serie A. The club went undefeated in the League throughout the entire season, as they claimed the league title for the first time since the Calciopoli scandal in 2006. And it was in no small part due to the resurgence of Buffon. He conceded only 16 goals in 35 League appearances, recording 21 Clean sheets and a 82% save percentage, that ranked the highest among any goalkeeper across the best leagues in Europe. He was named to the Serie A Team of The Year in recognition of his superb form. He described the 2011-12 season as the second highest point of his career after the World Cup victory. A stellar year was topped off with nominations for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or and the 2012 UEFA Team of the Year, although he would miss out on both.



That season marked the end of Alessandro Del Piero’s Juventus career. Both Del Piero and Buffon were the last remaining World Cup stars who remained loyal to the club in the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal. While Giorgio Chiellini was key member of the squad when the scandal broke, he was not part of the Italian World Cup winning side. Marchisio was promoted to the Senior squad after the scandal. Andrea Barzagli and Pirlo both joined the club in 2011. Del Piero’s departure allowed Buffon to become captain of the club. It was a popular appointment amongst the fans. Buffon lifted his first trophy as Juventus captain with the Supercoppa Italiana win in August 2012. It was something he would was going to get used to. The league title win in 2012 would be the first of four consecutive League titles for Buffon and Juventus.



As Italian dominance was assured, thoughts switched to the clubs return to Europe. Taking into account their off field developments and the team that Conte had built, I was quietly confident that Juventus would win the Champions League within the next 5 years. In the 2012-13 edition, they were placed in a difficult group with Shakhtar Donetsk and reigning champions Chelsea, However, they topped the group undefeated, knocking out Chelsea from the competition proper with a comprehensive 3-0 win in Turin. They faced a spirited test in the face of Celtic in the last 16 but came through with an impressive 5-0 aggregate win. Unfortunately for Buffon and Juventus, they faced a quality Bayern Munich side in the next round that boasted immense attacking talent in the form of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. The German side’s intentions were announced in the opening minute of the first leg as David Alaba struck a long range shot that flew past Buffon. Bayern dominated over the two legs, creating chance after chance. If it were not for Buffon in goal, Juventus would have faced a similar fate that fell the FC Barcelona in the semi-final. As it was, they lost both games 2-0. At the end of the calendar year, Buffon was nominated for the 2013 FIFPro XI and the 2013 Ballon d'Or for his consistent performances.


The following season, they surprisingly exited the group stage of the Champions League behind Real Madrid and Galatasary. They managed to bounce back and reach the Europa League semi-finals, before losing to Benfica in the semi-final, denying them the opportunity to play the final at their own stadium. Buffon was named 2013–14 Europa League Team of the Season for his performances in the competition. Antonio Conte surprisingly resigned as manager that summer, but Buffon re-affirmed his commitment to Juventus by signing a 3 year contract extension. Despite the uncertainties that came with Massimiliano Allegris appointment, the club would go on to have an excellent season. And Buffon remained as consistent as ever, going 606 minutes unbeaten early in the League season (having gone 801 minutes unbeaten the season previous). He was nominated for the 2014 FIFPro World XI and a week later, the UEFA Team Of The Year again. This was soon followed by his ninth Serie A goalkeeper of the year award and another Serie A Team of the Year award. He moved into 2^nd place behind Del Piero in the all-time appearances list for the club. Meanwhile the club won the League comfortable 17 point margin, won the Coppa Italia for the first time in 20 years and, to the rest of Europe’s surprise, reaching the Champions League Final for the first time since 2003. Needless to say, the man for the big occasion stepped up to produce a Man of the Match performance against reigning champions Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu. Even at 38 years old, his passion at the final whistle was clearly evident.





Despite a successful career, full of team and personal honours, the Champions League title still eludes Gigi. His only previous appearance came in that 2003 final, where Juventus lost on penalties to AC Milan, after a 0-0 draw. He saved two penalties in the shoot-out that night, and it was hard to imagine he would have to wait long before winning the competition. Little did anyone know that he would have to face monumental professional obstacles that lesser individuals either would have baulked at or failed to overcome. However, Buffon is still here. He is still a key member of the Juventus first team. He will be the last man standing between Barcelona and their fifth European Cup. As daunting a task facing a trio of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi will be, Juventus have arguably the best goalkeeper in the World at their disposal. In the man’s own words “Berlin is not my last chance to win it, simply because I will not quit playing after this final.” Winning the Champions League will be the final affirmation to the claim that Gianluigi Buffon is the greatest Goalkeeper of All Time.



In my opinion, he already is.

The Return of the Old Lady

The final four of the Champions League is arguably the most star studded line-up to make up the semi-finals in a very long time.

Real Madrid vs. Juventus. FC Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich. 21 titles are shared between them. World class players on each team, fervent passionate supporters at each club. The finest stadiums in Europe. I could go on to list all the positive elements of each club. All I know is that I haven’t been as excited about the semi-final stage of this tournament for a very very long time. All the more so as Juventus, a club that I have followed since I was young are back in the semi-final stage for the first time in 12 years.

Like any young football fan growing up in the 90’s, there was a great interest in Italian football. The Serie A during that decade was arguably the biggest and best league in the world. And I don’t use that term lightly, like a certain broadcaster does with the Premier League. The best players, the best teams, the best hairstyles, the best lifestyles, the best displays of support and possibly the best half hour of football programming covering the league. Gazzetta Football Italia on Channel 4 has gone into folklore amongst football fans in the UK and Ireland. The intro itself is 30 seconds of brilliance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASM3jm-ocyA


My love for Italian football and Juventus didn’t come from their participation in that programme however. Until the turn of the century, I only had two television channels. Live football was scarce in my house, except for RTE’s coverage of the Champions League. The new format was still in its infancy but even as a child myself, I could see something special in these games opposed to your average International or League game. The grey backdrop of the branding, the clear definition of the Champions League stars, the Times New Roman font of the players and teams names. Nostalgia is heroin for old people but I simply love the original style of Champions League broadcasts. RTE broadcasts would focus, as they do nowadays, on English teams but as it is today, English teams were a rare occurrence in the latter rounds back then. Europe was Italian football’s playground during this decade and it was Juventus who dominated its premier club competition in the late 90’s. As a result, my early football watching largely consisted of those in black and white stripes, and Sony on their jerseys.

Under the management of Marcello Lippi, Juventus reached four Champions League finals, 3 in a row during the 1990’s and once again in 2003. And it still beggars belief that they only managed to win just one of those finals. A penalty shoot-out victory over reigning champions Ajax in 1996 is to date, the Blanconeri last triumph in the competition. The team that won that day consisted of names such as Ciro Ferrera, Angelo Di Livio, Paolo Sousa, Gianluca Pessotto, Antonio Conte, Didier Deschamps and Angelo Peruzzi, the hero in the shoot-out. The front three itself was immense. Fabrizio Ravanelli, Gianluca Vialli and a young Alessandro Del Piero led the line. While Ajax had star names of their own, the game itself wasn’t exactly a classic. It finished 1-1 after normal time, the goals coming from Ravanelli and Jari Litmanen, and extra time couldn’t separate the teams. In the shoot-out, Juventus scored all four of their penalties and Peruzzi would make the difference in saving from future team-mate Edgar Davids and Sonny Silooy. After the tragedy that surrounded their first triumph in Heysel in 1985, this was a victory the club could truly savour.

Del Piero would go on to become a club legend but Vialli and Ravanelli both left for the Premier League. Paolo Sousa would also move on. Undeterred by losing such names, Juventus went out and signed Christian Vieri to reinforce the forward line but it was the addition of Zinedine Zidane that really signalled their intentions. Zidane was not the first French superstar to play for the club after Michel Platini’s successful spell at the club in the 80’s but he could certainly lay claim to being one of the best players in the World at the time. Zidane made an immediate impact as the club won back the league title from AC Milan and won their 2nd Intercontinental Cup against River Plate in Tokyo. In the Champions League, they stormed their way back to the final undefeated, winning all but two of their games. However, they were surprised in the final by their unfancied opponents Borussia Dortmund. Zidane was nullified by the close marking of Paul Lambert and couldn’t influence the game. Despite Del Piero audaciously back flicking a goal to make it 2-1, it wasn’t enough as Dortmund added a third to finish the game. This was the first final I watched growing up. And despite the scoreline, it was Juventus and the classic alternate blue jersey that made an immediate impression on me that would only be enhanced as I grew older.

In 1998, despite retaining the league title, the red hot form of Del Piero in the competition and the addition of Filippo Inzaghi, Juventus would fail to win the decider for the second year running. The final in Amsterdam saw them come up against Real Madrid. This was a Real side before the era of the Galacticos really took precedent on playing personnel. And while they still had a number of well-known names, it was still expected that Juve would rout their opponents in the final. They had scored 23 times in 10 games leading to the final, including six over two legs against Monaco in the semi-final. However, the only goal in this game was scored by Predrag Mijatovic in the 68^th minute, after Roberto Carlos’ initial shot from distance (wahey!) was deflected off the back of Paolo Montero and left Peruzzi stranded. It was another surprise result. Lippi surprisingly took over Inter Milan after the 1998 final. His replacement, Carlo Ancelotti, almost led the club to a fourth consecutive final but were denied by a Manchester United side led by Roy Keane. It was a major setback, as the clubs league form had faltered dramatically in the meantime. They failed to qualify for the Champions League for the following season, and when they returned in 2000–01, they failed to get out of their group stage. Ancelotti was dismissed at the end of that season.

When Lippi returned in the summer of 2001, he had to contend with losing Zidane to Real Madrid for a fee in the region of €75 million. While he would go on to greater things with Madrid, Lippi set about rebuilding the team by signing Lillian Thuram, Pavel Nedved, and Gianluigi Buffon for a world record fee for a goalkeeper. Added to previous signings made in recent seasons of Gianluca Zambrotta and David Trezeguet, who struck up a potent understanding up front with Del Piero, Juventus were enroute to the pinnacle of Europe once more. They made up for a disappointing Champions League in 01-02 by winning the title for the first time since 98. The following season saw them retain the League and enjoy an amazing run to the Champions League final again.

Despite scraping through the second group phase on goal difference ahead of both FC Basel and Deportivo La Coruna, they overcame the challenge of Barcelona with a decisive golden goal scored by Marcelo Zalayeta. In the semi-final stage, they would come up against familiar foes in the form of Real Madrid. The reigning champions not only boasted the talent of Zidane but Luis Figo, Claude Makelele and Ronaldo, who had torn apart Man United in the quarter final 2^nd leg with a hat-trick. Madrid were the most expert’s favourites to reach the final again and would follow the script by winning the first leg 2-1. However the return leg in Turin has gone down into folklore in Juventus history, with the home side and their fans producing a comprehensive performance to overwhelm their opponents. First half goals from Trezeguet and a delightful Del Piero finish were complemented by a 2^nd half penalty save by Buffon from Zidane and a glorious 20 yard volley from Nedved. Not even a late consolation goal for Madrid could spoil the brilliance from this victory.

Unfortunately for Juventus, Nedved would miss the final through suspension and his influence would prove to be a big loss in the final against Italian rivals AC Milan. The 2003 decider was a tactical defensive style of match that didn’t produce a goal over 120 minutes. There would be no repeat of the 1996 heroics in the shoot-out as despite Buffon making two saves, his opposite number Dida would save three of Juventus’ penalties to win the title for AC Milan. After the euphoria of the semi-final victory, this was another bitter blow for Juventus to take. The following season would be a disappointing one for the club as they finished 3^rd in the league and only reach the last 16 of the Champions League. Lippi resigned to take over the national team in 2004 and while his replacement, Fabio Capello, ensured domestic dominance, he would exit the Champions League at the quarter final to English opposition in consecutive seasons. Despite the presence of new players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Patrick Vieira and Fabio Cannavaro, the club struggled to assert a presence and dominance in Europe they had enjoyed under Lippi. As disappointing these setbacks, much darker days loomed on the horizon for the club.

Juventus were at the centre of the Calciopoli scandal which rocked Italian football. Italian authorities uncovered a number of telephone calls establishing a network of relations between team managers and referee organizations. This scandal not only had severe consequences for Juventus, but for Italian football in general, with the Serie A suffering serious damage to its reputation. A number of clubs were accused of rigging games by selecting favourable referees. Juventus were deemed to be the most offending perpetrators and received the most severe punishment handed out. They were stripped of their two previous league titles, demoted to Serie B with a point’s deduction and found themselves expelled from the following season’s edition of the Champions League. As a result, there was a large exodus of star players and personnel with Capello, Cannavaro, Thuram, Vieira and Ibrahimovic all leaving. A number of players decided to stay such as Del Piero, Buffon, Trezeguet and Nedved, endearing themselves to the clubs support. However, it would be a long time before the club would be making a significant impact on the European stage again as the club entered a transition period on and off the field.

In 2006, the club decided to leave the Stadio Delle Alpi, the clubs home ground since 1990 and seek a new home. Delle Alpi had a large 67’000 capacity but was less accessible and had poor sightlines due to the athletics track, which impacted upon the atmosphere. Despite their status as the best supported team in Italy, the stadium rarely sold out. In November 2008, the club unveiled plans for a new stadium on the site of the Stadio Delle Alpi. The planned capacity of 41,000 was significantly lower but would greatly improve the experience for the supporter. More importantly however, Juventus would be the only club in Italy to own their own stadium and therefore recoup all the profits. This gave them a significant advantage over other clubs in Italy moving forward. By the time the stadium was opened in 2011, the club was in the best position in a number of years to make a return to the elite of Italian and European football. They made an immediate return to the Serie A in 2007 and under Claudio Ranieri, finished 2^nd in the League and reached the last 16 of the Champions League in 2008-09. Despite this, Ranieri wasn’t popular with the board or the fans and was replaced by Ciro Ferrera, an ever present in the glory days of the late 90’s. However, the change was a massive failure as Juventus faltered in the League, eventually finishing 7^th. They also exited the group stages of the Champions League. Luigi Del Neri took over full time in 2010-11 but he too failed to improve Juventus position in the League.

Antonio Conte was appointed manager as Juventus moved into their new stadium. Unlike his former team-mate Ferrera, Conte had suitable experience as a manager in Italy before taking over Juventus. While the job at Juventus would be his biggest challenge to date, his winning mentality and man management made an immediate impression on the club. The signings of Stephan Lichtsteiner and Arturo Vidal would prove crucial as they became mainstays of a new successful Juventus side but their cause was greatly helped by the signing of Andrea Pirlo on a free transfer from AC Milan. Pirlo would be the centre piece of a team and player reborn as the club went undefeated in what was Del Piero’s final season at the club. They won their first League title in 6 years and secured their return to the Champions League. It would be the first of three straight League titles for Conte at Juventus as their assured their dominance on the domestic game once more. He built a team with solid defensive foundations and arguably a central midfield selection of Pirlo, Vidal, Claudio Marchisio, and later Paul Pogba, that would rival the one he played in himself. What stopped Juventus truly becoming a force in Europe again under Conte was the presence of a world class striker.

In his first season in the Champions League, Conte led Juventus to the quarter finals where they faced Bayern Munich. I was quietly confident that Juventus would upset a lot of people and reach the 2013 final. However, they were completely outplayed by a superb Bayern side over two legs. The following season was a disappointment as the club failed to build on their 2012-13 campaign. Boosting their strike force with Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, Juventus were placed in a group with Real Madrid and Galatasary. They exited the group stages controversially in the last game against their Turkish opponents. The game was abandoned after 30 minutes due to poor conditions. They played the remaining hour the next day. Needing only a draw to progress, Wesley Sneijder scored a late goal to knock Juventus out. In the Europa League, they would reach the semi-finals only to be beaten by Benfica, denying them the opportunity to play the final at their home ground. Conte surprisingly resigned at the end of the season and took over the Italian national team, leaving Juventus squad and their experienced leaders with an uncertain future.

Massimiliano Allegri was a controversial selection to replace the much celebrated Conte. Allegri had won the Serie A in 2011 with AC Milan but by the time he left in January 2014, the club was left languishing in 11^th. They never built upon their initial domestic success and failed to make an impact in Europe. Taking this into account, many Juventus supporters protested the decision and the pressure for Allegri to succeed was increased without even kicking a ball. However, rather than take apart the team Conte built and fail, Allegri has arguably created a better team, one capable of both attacking fluidly with a disciplined defence. It is clear that the problems he experienced at Milan stemmed mostly from a club in disarray. At Juventus, things are running smoothly on and off the field.

Allegri has shown a tactical versatility that has allowed Juventus the freedom to play attacking football and allow the talents of Tevez and summer signing Alvaro Morata to flourish. That being said, they still retain the solid defensive foundations laid down in Conte’s time in charge. Buffon, the last remaining member of Juventus last Champions League semi-final in 2003, captains the team and is still one of the bet goalkeepers in the world. In front of him, he can rely on the central defensive partnership of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Lichtsteiner remains a key presence in the defence and Patrice Evra has done well since his arrival from Man United in the summer. The midfield still remains the focal point of this Juventus side and how they play. They are fortunate that if one of Pirlo, Marchisio, Vidal or Pogba are injured, they can get by. That remains the case this evening as Pogba has not yet recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered against Borussia Dortmund, a game which Juventus signalled their intentions & potential by winning 3-0 in the 2^nd leg of their last 16 encounter at the Signal Iduna Park. It is expected he will return for the second leg, which would be a huge boost for Juve.

I saw countless memes on the internet that portrayed Juventus as the team to play in the semi-finals. This perceived weakness is laughable as it is insulting to any follower of the club. A number of these players know what it’s like to be written off. AC Milan thought Pirlo had lost it, Man City had enough of Tevez. Pogba wasn’t wanted at Man United and Real Madrid didn’t have time to allow Morata to develop into the player they wanted. How sweet it would be if Morata were to demonstrate to his former employers what exactly they let go last summer. He has been growing in confidence lately and forming a decent partnership with Tevez, who has scored 28 goals this season.

The 1998 final between Juventus and Real Madrid saw the Italian side as the strong favourites with star studded names throughout. 17 years later and the roles are reversed.

Write off the Italians at your peril, the leading lady has returned!