Of study course, they have played in the Champions League subsequently, even enjoying a memorable win at the Santiago Bernabeu that saw Alessandro Delete Piero given a standing ovation simply by an appreciative Real Madrid audience, but from the outset this felt completely different. Those previous returns proved to get little other than false dawns, plus a sense of entitlement as a squad loaded with ageing and angered veterans pulled Turin’s Old Lady ‘back where she belongs’ after their enforced relegation to Serie B.
Gigi Buffon, the only real first-team regular remaining from your pre-Calciopoli era, now captains a and hungry side, one who - instead of believing Juventus have a directly to be there - treated this fixture to be a reward for years of efforts. Accepting the club must yet again earn their place as one of the truly great sides, the goalkeeper himself, humbled by the journey he's taken, spoke for almost everyone linked with the club after the match up when he told reporters: “We do sense the enthusiasm of the fans. I am one of the few left who went from the past successes and the 6 years of decline. I can easily assure you, six years is. Throughout that time we dreamed of winning a Scudetto and profitable back the respect of teams in Europe.
“That doesn’t imply lifting the trophy, but having our say about this stage again. It is surely difficult, if not impossible, to win the Champions League this year. It would also be a very arrogant thing to consider in September. ”
What has happened at Juventus in those six years have been well documented, their trials - from time to time an all too literal term - and tribulations written about in countless columns and mentioned in endless hours of television. But many are aggrieved, feeling there may be so much misinformation printed that the reputation of the Bianconeri have been tainted even more than it should ever have been.
Yet here's a club doing so much to alter that perception in every conceivable way. A brand new stadium stands to be a shining beacon that the rest of Serie A must follow if the league would be to once more be regarded united of Europe’s best. Undefeated given that moving there, the team around the field play a brand of football that fans over the continent can only admire. The visit to Chelsea drew many quizzical looks from a poor not followed them closely as Juve would not even appear to settle from 2-2, pressing on in search of any winner as the match drew to some close.
Juventus are working harder than lots of their domestic rivals to lower costs and match their recent on-field accomplishment with equally positive business choices. Of course there is much work still to do as the club still recorded losses in its most current accounts, and even on the subject they do still occasionally look naïve - an area proven countless times at Stamford Bridge - but they are undoubtedly heading in the correct direction.
The fans played his or her part too, no longer endlessly chanting ‘animals’ at the first sight of English level of resistance, and the visit to West London highlighted just how determined to enjoy themselves your Juventus tifosi truly are. Only over 3, 000 supporters filled into Chelsea’s Shed End, continuously making themselves heard despite currently being heavily outnumbered; they too were glad to once more feast at European football’s prime table.
Arriving on the District Line and walking towards stadium from Fulham Broadway, the the top stands came into view just as fans learned the club’s Under-19 side had beaten Paris Saint-Germain yearly Gen Series, immediately putting them in good spirits and in some cases better voice. Home supporters were being met with handshakes and scarves were swapped; no longer may the post-Heysel ill will towards anything English colour these practitioners, humbled by recent events. The most up-to-date news regarding Hillsborough dominated talk for long spells.
They cheered all through the primary half despite Juventus desperate for the cohesion that has be a hallmark of Antonio Conte’s side and in addition they sang during half-time, briefly pausing to berate a fan inside the Chelsea section who had taken the unfortunate decision to wait wearing an AC Milan top - 3, 000 fans booing in unison as though it was Silvio Berlusconi himself sat watching. That unwavering and unyielding support was rewarded when a poor pass from John Obi Mikel had been compounded by John Terry’s inability to react, Fabio Quagliarella ghosting in slot an equaliser between your legs of Petr Cech.
The striker almost stole all three points having a vicious shot that left Cech stranded just to skim the crossbar, but a draw was ultimately a good result. They may indeed develop the motto ‘Winning is not crucial, it is the only thing that matters’ emblazoned inside collar of their shirts but here, for one night merely, a point was certainly established. Juventus, and her fans, usually are back.
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