Serie B Tim - 23 Jan 2007 - 5:06 PM
A “friendly” tradition with Spezia
Not for the first time this season, Juventus are preparing themselves for a ‘first of its kind’ championship fixture. Saturday’s trip to Spezia will be the first time the two sides have met with points on the table since their four encounters in the 1920s before the league adopted the structure which survives today. That doesn’t include friendlies though, and Juventus and Spezia have had a few of those down the years, most recently this summer in Rovereto.
The first of these friendlies took place back in 1932 and has it’s own special place in history as the first game to be played at the “Alberto Picco” stadium, where the Bianconeri will line-up this weekend. Named after the war hero Picco - Spezia’s first ever goal scorer and a victim of the battle of Montenero during the First World War – the ground was given a memorable baptism by its illustrious visitors from Turin. The game finished 4-2 to Juventus, who went on to play Spezia on a further three occasion, emerging as winners each time.
The friendlies between Juventus and Spezia
28th October 1932
Spezia-Juventus: 2-4
Goal-scorers: 33° Mian (S), 52° Borel II, 59° Puppo (S), 64° Imberti, 70° Munerati, 73° Borel II
21st February 1973
Spezia-Juventus: 0-2
Goal-scorers: 36° Chiarenza, 85° Haller (pen.)
Notes: around 4000 spectators
22nd May 1991
Spezia-Juventus: 0-1
Goal-scorers: 43° Di Canio
4th August 2006
Juventus-Spezia: 4-1
Goal-scorers: 22’ Chiellini, 43’ Varricchio, 46’ Bojinov, 63’ Nedved, 77’ Olivera (pen.)