Showing posts with label Alessandro Del Piero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alessandro Del Piero. Show all posts

Saturday, November 26, 2016

26 November 1996 - Del Piero Peels Bonano

On 26 November 1996, a late strike from Alessandro Del Piero secured a second Intercontinental Cup for Juventus.

Played at the National Stadium in Tokyo, the competition (known at the time as the Toyota Cup) pitted Juventus, the reigning Champions League winners, against the Copa Libertadores champions, River Plate. Both teams were looking for their second title--Juventus having won it in 1985 and River Plate in 1986.

The 1996 edition was a dynamic end-to-end affair, with the majority of chances coming from Juventus. They would have won easily if not for the performance of River Plate keeper Roberto Bonano, who denied a handful of point-blank shots. But Del Piero eventually tipped the delicate balance in the 81st minute; a Juventus corner kick was met by Zinedine Zidane, who headed it down to Del Piero for the match-winning shot.

It was the last appearance for either team in the competition, which ended in 2004 and was replaced by the FIFA Club World Cup.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

30 October 2010 - The Peerless Del Piero

On 30 October 2010, Juventus trequartista Alessandro del Piero scored the match-winner against Milan. It was his 179th Serie A goal for the Bianconeri, setting a new club record.

Del Piero joined Juventus from Padova in 1993. Initially playing as a traditional striker, he opened his goalscoring account that September in only his second appearance, then garnered a hat-trick in his first start. Juventus went on to win the Scudetto that season, one of five league titles for del Piero, who has also collected four Italian Super Cups, one Coppa Italia, and a Champions League trophy (as well as the 2006 World Cup with Italy).

He scored 20 goals in the 2006-07 season, but they didn't count toward the Serie A record as Juventus had been relegated in response to the Calciopoli scandal. Although several high-profile players left the club prior to the relegation, del Piero stayed and captained the club back to the top flight at their first opportunity.

In the match against Milan at the San Siro on 30 October 2010, del Piero's 65th-minute goal proved to be the decisive one as it put Juventus up 1-2, which is how the day ended. It broke the club's previous Serie A record tally, set by Giampiero Boniperti from 1946 to 1961.

Before retiring in 2012, del Piero pushed the record to 208 goals, with a total of 290 in all competitions.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

28 May 2003 - The Lesson Is Whoever Has Seedorf Wins

On 28 May 2003, Juventus and AC Milan needed a penalty shootout to decide the first all-Italian Champions League Final.

Played before a crowd of 63,215 at Old Trafford in Manchester, the Final was only the second one in tournament history to pair teams from the same league--Real Madrid defeated Valencia in 2000. The Serie A race had officially ended four days prior with Juventus at the top of the table. Although they finished 11 points clear of third-place Milan, the two teams had split their two league meetings, with each team winning at home, 2-1.

The Final was even closer. The only real chance came from Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, whose early goal was ruled out because his teammate Rui Costa had blocked the view of Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon from an offside position. They completed the first 120 minutes of play deadlocked at 0-0.

The shootout took place in front of the Juventus section. After four kicks each, Milan were up 1-2, with both Buffon and Milan keeper Dida making critical saves. Juventus forward and captain Alessandro Del Piero converted his team's last kick to level the score, putting the pressure on Milan's last kicker, Shevchenko. But the Ukrainian confidently stroked the ball past Buffon for the win, 0-0 (2-3).

Coincidentally, it was the third Champions League trophy for Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who had won it in 1995 with Ajax (against Milan) and in 1998 with Real Madrid (against Juventus).




Tuesday, January 28, 2014

28 January 2008 - A Record That Will Never Be Broken

On 28 January 2008, Francesco Totti was named Italian Footballer of the Year for a record fifth time.

The Italian Footballers' Association ("AIC") first announced the honor in 1997, along with additional superlatives including Best Serie A Footballer and Best Foreign Footballer. While the first award went to Sampdoria's Roberto Mancini, Totti was the recipient for 2000, in the middle of Roma's title-winning season, then again in 2001, 2003, and 2004.

Roma finished as runners-up to Inter in 2007 and won the Coppa Italia, due in large part to Totti, who ended the season as the league's top scorer with 26 goals (32 in all competitions). In 2007-08, they were again chasing Inter Milan for the Scudetto, sitting in second at the winter break, seven points behind the defending champions. (Roma eventually finished in second again, but closed the gap to three points in the final table).

The combined performance across both seasons led to Totti receiving the award for a fifth time, when no other player has received it more than twice (Christian Vieri in 1999 and 2002, then Alessandro del Piero in 1998 and 2008), though Milan's Kaká was named 2007 Serie A Footballer of the Year award.

In 2013, the AIC changed the format of their annual awards and no longer name an Italian Footballer of the Year or the other specific honors. Instead, they have a general Footballer of the Year award, claimed by Andrea Pirlo for 2013.

Friday, January 10, 2014

10 January 2006 - The Peerless Del Piero

On 10 January 2006, three goals against Fiorentina made Alessandro del Piero the all-time leading scorer for Juventus.

The forward joined the club in 1993, making his debut that September. Over the next twelve years, he made a total of 436 appearances, scoring 175 goals through the 2004-05 season while winning a load of silverware that includes five league titles (1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002), the Champions League (1996), the UEFA Super Cup (1996), and the Intercontinental Cup (1996).

By the time Juventus faced Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia in January 2006, del Piero had taken his goal tally to 182, matching the club record set by Giampiero Boniperti, who played there from 1946 to 1961. Juventus won 4-1 with a hat-trick from del Piero, lifting him to a new club record of 185 goals.

By the time he left the club in 2012, after winning another league title in his last year, he had pushed the scoring record to 289 in 691 appearances.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

4 December 1994 - Del Piero Delivers

On 4 December 1994, after going down 0-2, Alessandro Del Piero scored a wonder goal to complete Juventus' comeback over Fiorentina.

The 20-year forward had joined Juventus the previous year after spending his first two seasons at Padova. He impressed on his debut, scoring a hat-trick against Parma that spring. But even that performance didn't prepare the club for what was to come.

Hosting Fiorentina at the Stadio Delle Alpi in December, Juventus conceded first-half goals to Francesco Baiano (24') and Angelo Carbone (35') to go into the break down 0-2. But in the second half, Gianluca Vialli scored twice in a four-minute span (73', 76') to bring the hosts level.

Then, in the 87th minute, as it appeared that the teams would share the points, Del Piero struck. With a long ball coming in from just inside the midfield stripe, Del Piero raced down the left side of the pitch and into the box, connecting with a right-footed volley that put the ball into the top corner. It was an incredible display of skill that secured a 3-2 victory and established Del Piero as a rising star.

Juventus went on to win the league that season, their first Scudetto in eight years. Del Piero stayed with the club until 2012, making a total of 705 appearances and scoring 290 goals while winning five more league titles (not counting the two stripped from the club as a result of the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal).

Saturday, November 26, 2011

26 November 1996 - Del Piero Peels Bonano

On 26 November 1996, a late strike from Alessandro Del Piero secured a second Intercontinental Cup for Juventus.

Played at the National Stadium in Tokyo, the competition (known at the time as the Toyota Cup) pitted Juventus, the reigning Champions League winners, against the Copa Libertadores champions, River Plate. Both teams were looking for their second title--Juventus having won it in 1985 and River Plate in 1986.

The 1996 edition was a dynamic end-to-end affair, with the majority of chances coming from Juventus. They would have won easily if not for the performance of River Plate keeper Roberto Bonano, who denied a handful of point-blank shots. But Del Piero eventually tipped the delicate balance in the 81st minute; a Juventus corner kick was met by Zinedine Zidane, who headed it down to Del Piero for the match-winning shot.

It was the last appearance for either team in the competition, which ended in 2004 and was replaced by the FIFA Club World Cup.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

30 October 2010 - The Peerless Del Piero

On 30 October 2010, Juventus trequartista Alessandro del Piero scored the match-winner against Milan. It was his 179th Serie A goal for the Bianconeri, setting a new club record.

Del Piero joined Juventus from Padova in 1993. Initially playing as a traditional striker, he opened his goalscoring account that September in only his second appearance, then garnered a hat-trick in his first start. Juventus went on to win the Scudetto that season, one of five league titles for del Piero, who has also collected four Italian Super Cups, one Coppa Italia, and a Champions League trophy (as well as the 2006 World Cup with Italy).

He scored 20 goals in the 2006-07 season, but they didn't count toward the Serie A record as Juventus had been relegated in response to the Calciopoli scandal. Although several high-profile players left the club prior to the relegation, Del Piero stayed and captained the club back to the top flight at their first opportunity.

In the match against Milan at the San Siro on 30 October 2010, del Piero's 65th-minute goal proved to be the decisive one as it put Juventus up 1-2, which is how the day ended. It broke the club's previous Serie A record tally, set by Giampiero Boniperti from 1946 to 1961.

Now in his last season with Juventus, Del Piero continues to find the net and has pushed the record to 205 goals, with a total of 285 in all competitions.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

28 May 2003 - So The Lesson Is He Who Has Seedorf, Wins

On 28 May 2003, Juventus and AC Milan needed a penalty shootout to decide the first all-Italian Champions League Final.

Played before a crowd of 63,215 at Old Trafford in Manchester, the Final was only the second one in tournament history to pair teams from the same league--Real Madrid defeated Valencia in 2000. The Serie A race had officially ended four days prior with Juventus at the top of the table. Although they finished 11 points clear of third-place Milan, the two teams had split their two league meetings, with each team winning at home, 2-1.

The Final was even closer. The only real chance came from Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, whose early goal wasruled out because his teammate Rui Costa had blocked the view of Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon from an offside position. They completed the first 120 minutes of play deadlocked at 0-0.

The shootout took place in front of the Juventus section. After four kicks each, Milan were up 1-2, with both Buffon and Milan keeper Dida making critical saves. Juventus forward and captain Alessandro Del Piero converted his team's last kick to level the score, putting the pressure on Milan's last kicker, Shevchenko. But the Ukrainian confidently stroked the ball past Buffon for the win, 0-0 (2-3).

Coincidentally, it was the third Champions League trophy for Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who had won it in 1995 with Ajax (against Milan) and in 1998 with Real Madrid (against Juventus).