Alessandro Del Piero-Juventus Career

Alex Del Piero with the UEFA Champions League trophy in ’96

To begin with,this is my first attempt at writing.Please be generous with your remarks.I will definitely continue to improve as this as time passes by.

Football is the religion I wholeheartedly follow and my GOD is Alessandro Del Piero.Could I have written about anything apart from this?Could I have written on anyone but him?No.What makes him so special?In a country where Italian football is barely followed and hardly publicised,what is the kind of impression that Alex has made on me?Born and bred in a small town of San Vendemiano in Italy,Alex started playing for his hometown club.He was first spotted by the scouts of Padova.He moved to Padova at the tender age of just 13.After having played for the youth side of Padova,he was moved to the senior side.Following some impressive performances for Padova he caught the eye of a well known Juventus legend,Giampiero Boniperti.Despite being trailed by Milan and Fiorentina,Alex signed for the “Black and White” in 1993.

Dream career with Juventus

Juventus have always been known as one of the European powerhouses,a club which has had the services of great players.At the age of 19,Alex moved to the bianconeris which had the likes of Roberto Baggio in their team.Having a brief appearance in the youth side,he was drafted to the main team.A day to remember,Alex made his debut against Foggia coming on for the hitman “Ravenelli”.He has never looked back since then.He got his debut goal against Reggina in the following game.Following a few games,his first hattrick came against Parma,where he capped his first start.Alex’s first trophy came in ’95 when Juventus lifted the Scudetto.

The following year,Roberto Baggio moved to Milan.A faith that Juve had on Alex to deliver.Alex set his mark with Juventus in the Juve-Fiorentina game,the same season.A game in which Juventus were a couple of goals down and came back to win the match 3-2 courtesy Alex’s winner.The goal against Fiorentina as described by Alex will always be his best goal.The ’95-”96 season,was a season to remember for Juventus.Juventus marked their presence in Europe lifting the prestigious UEFA Champions League.Alex made a crutial contribution for Juventus in this season.Scoring 6 goals in Europe,this was just the beginning of a great career.Goals against European powehouses like Madrid or Dortmund earnt him a lot of applauses.He was a pivotal part of a great “trident attack” that had Vialli and Ravenelli.The next year,he also went on to win the Intercontinental Cup.He was also rightfully awarded the best player in this competition.

A year later came the arrival of the great Zidane and a charismatic Inzaghi.Del Piero successfully combined with them to add to another successful season with Juventus.In this season he won the Intercontinental Cup and the Scudetto.He led Juventus into the final of Champions league,where he scored against eventual winners Borussia Dortmund.He was also rightfully awarded the best player of the Intercontinental Cup.The following season was his best season with Juventus.He scored 10 goals in Europe to help Juventus reach the final of Champions League before losing out to Real Madrid.In the league,he scored 21 goals.

Every footballer’s career has ups and downs.In the ’98-’99 season,Del Piero struggled to cope up initially.He was accused wrongly to have been on drugs,which he was later found innocent.In this same season,he picked up a career threatening knee injury.This kept him out of action for a period of 10 months while Juventus struggled without his services.Returning after his injury,there were some changes in Juventus.Carlo Ancelotti replace Lippi as the manager.He signed a new contract to renew another phase with the Bianconeris.Although coming close on quite a few occasions,he did not win anything with a Juventus side managed by Ancelotti for a couple of seasons.

Following Ancelotti’s departure,Lippi came back with a second stint.Zidane and Inzaghi bid farewell to Juventus.They were replaced by icons such as Nedved and Trezeguet.This season also embarked the entry of guardians Thuram and Buffon.This was a great season for Alex as he went on to score 16 goals in Juventus’ league winning campaign.This was one of the finest eras of Juventus.The following season,Juventus won the Scudetto with Alex scoring 16 goals and reached the final of Champions League losing out to league compatriots A.C.Milan.

The ’03-’04 season for Juventus started with Lippi being replaced by Capello.Alex had a good first season under Capello.Following couple of seasons.Alex was used merely as a substitute by Capello.He scored 20 goals coming from the bench.He was impressive under Capello as Juventus went on to add two more Scudettos to their trophy cabinet which were later removed courtesy a Calciopoli.

Scandals in Italy never end.Calciopoli was one such scandal that left a black mark on the Italian football.Juventus were hurted very badly following Calciopoli.Many world class players left as Juventus were demoted to Serie-B.Alex won the world cup with his national side Italy during the same time.Having the world cup in one hand and looking for a season with Juventus is Serie-B are clearly two sides of a coin.May be he could’ve moved to other European powerhouses with more money and an ambition to win Europe’s elite competition(s) up his sleeve,or may be staying with Juventus was just his destiny.He decided to prove his loyalty and stayed with Juventus.Juventus were easily promoted with Deschamps as the coach and Alex being the top scorer in Serie-B.

Following season,Juventus were back in Serie-A much more stronger mentally.This was Alex’s season,clearly.He won the Capocannoneire scoring 21 goals leading Juventus into Europe the next season.The champion was back although much older but definitely better.Juventus were back in Europe,Alex was at his best.Following some impressive performances against Zenit and Artmedia Bratislava,he became the only Italian scoring two goals in Bernebeau beating Real Madrid.He also became the only Italian earning a standing ovation at Bernebeau,this that too at the age of 34.Very few football personnels have come close to achieve such a stature.

A couple of seasons after this were a bad phase for Juventus.They were out of Europe in group stages and having a bad season in Serie-A,they failed to qualify for Champions League next season.Juventus came into Europa League and failed to make it past the group stages.Even during this tme,Alex was perhaps one of Juventus’ best.He saved them from their blushes against the likes of Lech Poznan.Although in the league,he had his personal agenda going.He became the all time top scorer of Juventus in Serie-A scoring against Milan beating his idol Boniperti’s record.He earnt a new contract at the end of the season and will be the captain of the Juventus side heading into their new stadium.He is one of the lowest paid players in Juventus presently.

He is a very versatile player.He could play anywhere on the front whereever and whenever the manager demanded.Although being a right footed player,his left foot was equally good.He is very gifted and possessed all the best technical qualities required.He is one of the best set piece taker in the history of football.

There have been world class players coming to Juve and leaving Juve,only one has stuck to Juve unlike anyone else for a period of 17 years.

The day Alex decides to retire will be a sad day for football.With all due respect,the game’s last real gentleman should be allowed to bow out gracefully from the club where he’s given his all for almost two decades.