Juventus were relegated into Serie B following the infamous match-fixing scandals. An inevitable changing of the guard saw emblematic players Pavel Nedved and Alessandro Del Piero fade into old age and retirement. The club was rebuilt around proven, world-class talent. ![]() Veterans and star players having left the club in the aftermath of the 2006 scandal, Buffon remained a staple for the Bianconeros, for better or for worse. Seven years of Champions League anonymity, a string of injuries, two ignominious World Cup exits at the group stage, and a Euro 2012 final lost to Spain are just some of his heartbreaks for club and country. The road back to the top has been a long one for Buffon, marked by lows that far outweigh the highs. Juventus players took to the field for both countries, and Buffon played a pivotal role in hoisting the Squadra Azzurra to the top of the world.Ī little trip down memory lane: Pirlo and Buffon share a glorious moment with the ultimate footballing prize.Ī world champion immediately banished to the abyss of Serie B, the goalkeeper’s fall from grace swiftly followed. At the time, as “Gigi” headed to the Olympiastadion for the World Cup final against France, he could genuinely fear that this might be his last shot at the big times. The year was 2006, and, ironically, “The Old Lady” had just been relegated to Serie B and stripped of two titles following the Calciopoli scandal. “ Stiamo andando a Berlino!” a twenty-eight year old Gianluigi Buffon had once shouted to a pair of compatriots both named Andrea (not supermodel admirers, believe it or not, but extremely masculine teammates Barzagli and Pirlo.) “We’re going to Berlin!” EST, a veritable galaxy of plots and subplots still hung in the balance, waiting to unravel in the course of ninety enthralling minutes.įor Juventus and its Italian veterans, destiny seemed to beckon. How could I resist the biggest stage of club football? Dear readers, Jean’s Free Kicks are back!Īnd what a final it was. I am not referring to the FIFA scandals (a plethora of better-informed people than myself are currently producing enough tomes on the matter to fill a few libraries) but to the UEFA Champions League Final. Having taken a four-months hiatus from this blog to pursue other writing projects, I have finally been lured back by the most intriguing sporting event of the year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |