Gigi
Despite the pains that the 2006-2007 football season has brought to the millions of Juventus fans world-wide, with the demotion of the ‘old lady’ to the Italian Serie B and the revocation of two Italian titles, for many Maltese Juventus fans, this season will forever be remembered for an entirely different, and very positive reason.
The desire had been great, and the pressure had long been mounting on us Committee Members of the Juventus Club Vero Amore Malta, to strive to bring some Juventus players for an official visit to the island. For this end, the Committee has, over the past months, been building ties with the new Juventus administration in Turin, holding various meetings and discussions all with the view of pressing upon them the deep felt support that the club enjoys in our island. From the word go, we have always found the greatest levels of support and understanding by the Juventus management. What was needed, however, was the right opportunity for such a visit to take place.
Truth be told, there could have been no better opportunity for such a visit than the one presented us during the last weekend. When an international player, a world cup winner no less, visits Malta, such a visit deservedly would be newsworthy, but when said player – arguably the best goalkeeper in the world – does so in support of a worthy cause such as the fundraising events organised by the Puttinu Cares Children’s Cancer Support Group, then such a visit becomes even more special.
And so, on Sunday 22nd April 2007, Gianluigi Buffon, the Italian and Juventus goalkeeper made it to our island at last. His charisma energised all of those with whom he came in contact, not least the children with whom he played at the Marsa sports complex. Although as such events would dictate Gigi found himself a prisoner of both the strict security detail with which he was surrounded as well as his very tight schedule, he somehow managed to find time and opportunity to make everyone present at any of the three main events organised – the buffet lunch, the sporting events, and the meeting with the supporters at the club – have a whale of a time, harping at each and every opportunity on the need for all of us to give our utmost help and support for the worth cause of the Puttinu Cares Support Group. His very presence in support of such a worth cause is indicative of the man that is Gigi Buffon, a man that has everything and yet finds time to give a helping hand to those who are not so touched by fortune as he.
At the same time, Gigi had a very simple but yet important message to pass on to all of us Juventus supporters. A message of hope in a better future for the club. Buffon openly admitted that despite having just won the world cup, he willingly chose to stay and play in the Serie B with Juventus, with a view of seeing the club achieving promotion in the swiftest possible time. All of us Juventus supporters have people of the likes of Gigi Buffon to thank now that, this objective seems to be fast approaching, with Juventus having a comfortable lead at the top of the table, and this despite starting the campaign with a nine point penalty.
Now that Gigi’s visit has come and gone, there is an important lesson that we all can take to heart. The future beckons for all of us. There will always be challenges in life. Life is hard and very rarely fair. We can either flee or fight. Gigi, as all those young children suffering from cancer in aid of whom the Puttinu Cares Support Group works so hard, chose to fight. No matter what hardship life throws at us, the choice is always ours to make. If we quit, then there can be no hope!
By Dr Keith Grech
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