Wednesday 22 October, 2008
Blog: The Real Thing
After an accomplished victory over Real Madrid, Serafino Ingardia believes Juventus can go all the way and win the Champions League
If anyone had written off Juventus following their run of five games without a win then they will have had their minds changed by their performance against Real Madrid. That 2-1 triumph has proved that the Bianconeri can be protagonists in Europe this term.
Juve were simply brilliant on the night. Giving that kind of display against such a prestigious outfit can only confirm the quality of Claudio Ranieri’s side. Luck does have a part to play in football, but if Juventus were ever in a crisis then we should consider that chapter over.
Los Merengues had not won in Turin for 47 years and a brave Juventus, missing 11 players due to injury, gave the Spaniards yet another footballing lesson. Usual heroes Alessandro Del Piero and Pavel Nedved were superbly assisted by some fresh blood – Amauri and Alexander Manninger above all.
However, last night’s game should not completely erase the problems of a team which is evidently struggling in Serie A. Keeping up with the likes of Inter and Milan may be too difficult for the Old Lady. Perhaps their squad is not yet comparable to the ones of their rivals.
But this makes it easier for them to focus on other targets. The major European competition has always been a touchy issue for them as their 27 domestic titles have only yielded two European Cup victories. Great in Italy, never in Europe, that’s what they are used to say around the peninsula.
However, if the Bianconeri make the Champions League their priority then, in my opinion, they are valid candidates. They will undoubtedly qualify from the group stage and they will have the right spirit, as well as a touch of anger, to face the giants of Europe.
To a certain degree we can say that they may gradually become the Italian version of Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool

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. The Reds always fail to win the Premiership, but in the Champions League it is a completely different matter.
When David Trezeguet, Gianluigi Buffon, Mauro Camoranesi and all the others return from injury Juve’s Scudetto bid may have already been compromised. The Champions League, however, will be there waiting for them and we all know how the Bianconeri stars can shine at night. Rome next May is no longer just a dream, it’s an objective.
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