Del Piero: 500 times Juve!
Saturday 20 January, 2007
Alessandro Del Piero is celebrating his 500th appearance in a Juventus jersey and received praise from Didier Deschamps.
“It’s not a record, but it is a truly very important achievement,” said the captain after scoring in the 4-2 win over Bari this afternoon.
“Now in the glorious history of Juventus there are only two players ahead of me – and what players! – Furino and Gaetano Scirea. I am very proud of this step in my career, especially as I marked it with a goal. I’ve won a great deal, including seven Scudetto titles.”
The record books will state he won five due to the Calciopoli scandal that stripped Juve of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Championships. Even after their demotion, Del Piero was the first to confirm he’d stay with the Bianconeri.
“I pledged myself to this Serie B adventure, even if it wasn’t always easy. I remember my first appearance for the club. It was September 1993 against Foggia and I only played for a few minutes.”
The captain has been on fine form so far this season and Deschamps believes he is an icon for the rest of the team.
“Aside from the goal, Alex set the example, moving well and doing great things,” commented the Coach.
“First of all, he deserves the applause of these fans for the loyalty he has always shown to this club. He fights for every ball on the field and I am pleased to see him enjoying his football so much. It was a great way to celebrate his 500th appearance.
“Del Piero is always decisive. With him, David Trezeguet, Pavel Nedved and Mauro Camoranesi playing together, it’s a whole other Juventus. The younger members of the side can mature and grow alongside these champions.”
The Bianconeri are now clear at the top of the Serie B table following the 4-2 victory over Bari and Napoli’s stumble at Lecce, but they had gone behind in Turin after just one minute.
“The fact we were still in an emergency situation in defence with all our injuries meant that early goal made us feel insecure, but we reacted well with some good football and scoring opportunities. Of course, it’s better for us that the other top teams failed to win.”
There was another returning hero in the squad today, as Pavel Nedved’s five-match ban expired and he marked his comeback with a brace.
“It’s always the champions who make the difference,” continued Deschamps. “Pavel’s return was very important for us. We have players who, when they are in good shape, give the side that step up in quality.”