Juve-got to be kidding

N-Ju kids on the block...

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:40:00 +0000

"Does it really make sense to spend £28 odd million on a new star player, only to sell him the following season for £10 million? You don't have to be Alan Sugar to realise that's a bad bit of business!"

Woah, has it really been five months since my last post!? Who'd have thought that's how long it takes to recover from a nervous breakdown? Obviously the rather sour turn of events towards the end of last season meant that I could not bring myself to write about them, for fear of driving my head so hard at my laptop screen that I would end up wearing it as an unfashionable and rather cumbersome necklace.

Suffice to say, my sabbatical is over, and the same goes for the club. While the best players in the world (allegedly) were off on their jollies in South Africa, the club were busy in the background compiling a hit-list of top quality players to bring in for the new season...*sigh*

When I last was naive enough to write a post thinking everything would end up rosey in the end, Juve went and proved me right again - I knew they'd mess it up. However that is all old news and something which I don't feel the need or desire to dwell on. Much has happened since then to suggest that this season will be different, like kick-starting it with a 1-0 away DEFEAT to Bari.

There was once a time (I feel terribly like I am showing my age) when Juventus F.C were a club that prided itself on boasting the best defence in Serie A, and certainly one of the best in Europe. Working part-time for a betting company has given me an insight into sports and betting markets that I previously did not know existed - with the football ones in particular capturing my attention. The 'handicap' market either gifts or denies a goal to a team pre-match, with the idea being making it more difficult for the favourite to win, whilst giving the opposition a greater chance.

In layman's terms, the favourite team (usually the home team) will have a market of (-1) applied, meaning that they then need to beat the opposition by two clear goals. However, I would bet my student loan on Juve's opposition (-1) - Juve always concede, no matter who they are playing. Guaranteed.

It just makes me mad. Zinedine Zidane v Marco Materazzi mad.

What makes this result even more frustrating is it coming after a summer of busy business for Juve in the transfer window which has seen fourteen fresh faces arrive and nineteen shown the door. Of the new arrivals, only Krasic and Quagliarella stand out as decent, if hardly 'high profile' acquisitions.

With the likes of Trezeguet, Camorenesi, Diego and Giovinco having moved on to pastures new, these new boys have some big shoes to fill. New coach Gigi Del Neri is apparantly a big fan of 4-4-2, a concept which has become alien to the club under recent management. In order to 'accommodate' this system, the board felt Diego, an old fashioned 'No.10' surplus to recquirements, despite the coach's insistance that he could make great use of the Brazilian. Fair enough, he was desperately disappointing in his debut season, but then who can honestly put their hand up and say that they performed well last season!? Does it really make sense to spend £28 odd million on a new star player, only to sell him the following season for £10 million? You don't have to be Alan Sugar to realise that's a bad bit of business, and once again, one which the club will surely live to regret.

It is also mind boggling how, not only have the club not given young Giovinco a chance, but they've offloaded him to Parma, without giving him a chance. The way that they have treated him is so disrespectful and not in keeping with the 'family' (Mafia) atmosphere that they are so keen to claim to advocate. He was clearly eager to stay and fight for his place, showing genuine fondness for the club, and it was sad to hear him almost hearbroken that they threw him out like yesterday's newspaper. Having seen his undoubted talent for myself though, I fear he may come back to haunt the club and punish us with his performances on the pitch.

Let's analyse his replacements then...Lanzafame...i'm sorry, who?

Pepe, who seems to have sprung from nowhere into the Italian national team after decent form showed at Udinese. Whenever i've seen him play though he just looks one dimensional...it's quite laughable actually. There are wingers, and then there is Pepe, who's sole thought is to whip a ball into the box, no matter where on the pitch he is standing, and regardless of whether there is anyone to deliver it to or not. Failing that, he'll attempt a wildly inaccurate shot from the most audacious of angles and distances. Either he's not as good as he thinks he is, or he is really that bereft of imagination, either way does not bode well for us. Bad signing.

From what I've seen of Martinez however, he appears to have slightly more guile than Pepe (who obviously dreams of whipping balls in his sleep, excuse the pun), but neither lack running or work ethic. A lot of money has been spent, so hopefully these three can prove me wrong and be value for money, unlike Diego, who to be fair to him, wasn't really given a chance.

The main man, in terms of the midfield is now Nedved wannabe Milos Krasic. In my humble opinion, he is not worthy to have his name mentioned in the same sentence as the legendary Czech Fury. The only obvious connection at the moment being their flowing golden locks, and uncanny resemblance to Owen Wilson, the trio obviously having being separated at birth, and flung as far apart as Serbia, Czech Republic and U.S.A. Brother's from another mother? Hmmm...good luck to the lad, although being substituted at half time in the first game of the season was not the most encouraging of signs...prove me wrong.

Upfront is where we are still lacking. After finally bidding a fond farewell to David Trezeguet, who will undoubtedly be missed, the Bianconeri were a striker short. The purchase of Krasic meant that the much lusted over Edin Dzeko was no longer an option. With Amauri already injured, Del Piero surely on his last legs and Iaquinta about as useful as a one-legged donkey, reinforcements were definately in order. Di Natale, last season's Cappocanonierre made no secret of his desire to stay with Udinese and did not hesitate to shoot Juve's offer down. As much as I admire the player, I cannot help but applaude his morals. He believes that he owes his current success to Udinese, and does not want to abandon them after they have given him so much. All Admirable qualities from a fantastic player who still has a lot to give, albeit one who is not getting any younger.

Juve then turned their attention to Di Natale's old partner in crime at Udinese, before moving to Napoli last season, Fabio Quagliarella. However it seemed awfully like an act of desperation, as the transfer window was sharply drawing to a close. Don't get me wrong, I believe that he is a fantastic player and cracking aqcuisition with time on his side, and believe that he will do well in Turin. He is not an out-and-out goalscorer in the Trezeguet mould though, and the club have made it no secret that they are still on the hunt for a striker, with Pazzini being the main target in January.

As much as I rant about Juve, the one thing that they can be proud of is the makeup of their squads, being predominantly filled with home-grown talent, as opposed to the anti-italian Inter Milan. Pazzini has a fantastic future ahead of him and was even linked to Real Madrid in the summer, we will do very well to capture him.

There was once a time that Juve used to be a club of prestige and pedigree, and a front-runner for major honours every season. Those days are fast becoming a distant memory. Yes, they are steeped in 'history' as they keep repeating as their one desperate bit of bait to lure players in...some still fall for it, others are now wise to their act. Either way they are at risk of it all becoming 'Ancient' history if they are not careful.

After the International break we have our second game of the season, and first home game at the weekend. Three points shall be the order of the day, and if they are not delivered then I will HULK up and smash everyone in sight to smithereens...You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!!

...only joking, but that is why I have steered clear from this blog for so long. Just thinking about the underachievement and failure of my team makes me seethe like Alex Ferguson on a good day...let's hope that I've got something to smile about come sunday!

Also, having mentioned the international break, I shall be starting up a sister blog to this one shortly regarding international teams, a bit late I know but the Euros are only two years away! So keep an eye out, keep reading and i'll try not to have an early season heart attack!

Forza Juve! Forza Italia!

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:55:00 +0000

With now only four points separating Juve from fourth place, and nine points left to play for, the club has found itself in a rather sticky situation - do they flop and lay helpless in their own mess, or do they get their act together and clean themselves up!?

The next match is away to Catania, only then will we discover how things pan out..

Re-Juvination

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:21:00 +0000

"We have four games in which to finish an ugly season. There is a lot of pressure on the directors and there is an ugly atmosphere around the club"

- Christian Poulsen

This latest claim to come out of the Juventus camp just underlies what a disastrous season it has been on all counts - both on and off the field. The unrest has been resounding round the players and board, and the club must look to amend this buy reshuffling the pack in the summer.

As far as off-the-field goings on are concerned, the Calciopoli inquest which saw Juventus demoted in 2006 has been officially re-opened, with disgraced former director general Luciano Moggi determined to clear his name.

Obviously it is too late to undo the damage that was done to Juve, but we can still salvage something from this fresh trial. The current board are determined to have Inter's 2006 league title revoked - a title that was won 'on the pitch' by Juve, but was then revoked after the trial and handed to third placed Inter.

That was a hard pill to swallow for us, and we would love nothing more than to see the smirk wiped of the Serpenti's face if the same were to happen to them.

All we would then need to do is re-juvinate our squad, and win the next league title on the pitch, fair and square.

Trez-e-gone?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:22:00 +0000

Is David Trezeguet set to make a sensational move to bitter rivals AC Milan? If Tuttosport are to be belived then a 'hypothetical' deal is being discussed. Trezegol was all set to dipart to the Rossoneri last season but naturlly Juve were unwilling to supply their rivals with David's firepower.

However a lot can change in a year, and it is already expected that Trezeguet will finally put an end to his glorius Turin adventure. Over the last couple of years, particularly after Calciopoli meant that the team was to be demoted to Serie B, his loyaltly was firmly tested. In fact, it is fair to say, that he was forced to stay with the team against his will, after freely admiting that he had no intention of following the team down to a lower division.

This season however, we have seen the old Trezeguet. He has rolled back the years and produced some quite simply golden goals, and Italians sure know how devastating they can be...

He has been one of few players who have genuinely worked their socks off this season to try and claw the team out of the trench they have dug themselves, and so will be missed. He has been an invaluable servant, and if he does decide to leave, we wish him all the best...

Having said that, fans can be fickle, so don't be too surprised if he receives a few boos if he shows up in Turin wearning Red and black, rather than White and black...

Inter-mediate Juve

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:04:00 +0000

SIX points adrift of fourth place, and only twelve points left to play for. Barring divine intervention, the dream is already over. In fact, we will do well to hold on to a Europa League spot.

The Derby d'Italia was supposed to be the turning point of what has been a woeful season. Then again, every game up until this point was supposed to be a turning point, and instead it's just been one let down after another.

As far as the rumour mill is concerned, it is set to overdrive. In the summer a three-year €200 million project is set to launch in order to regain the Italian championship. Personally I believe it will take much longer than that. I mean just look at Arsenal, how many seasons have they gone now without a trophy? Maybe if they were to give us €50 million for Buffon, they'd finally have a title winning season and we'd have €250 million to clear out the 'dead wood' and build a team with a spine once more...

It is also looking more and more likely that this new project will be spear-headed by Rafa Benitez, with the possibility of bringing Fernando Torres and Xavier Mascherano in tow. Again, I'm not sure that I can really see this happening, as Xabi Alonso was all set to depart the Reds for us last season, before being pushed instead to Real Madrid. Torres has categorically stated that he would never play for The Galacticos after spending so long at rivals Athletico, so let's hope he does not follow suit.

Other rumoured striking options include Wolfsburg’s Edin Dzeko, and Sampdoria's Giampaolo Pazzini.

Admitedly I do not know much about Edin Dzeko, but after just spending half an hour admiring his goal-scoring exploits in the Bundesliga, I must say I'm becoming a fan. The Bosnian looks deadly both in and outside the box, and he is just the sort of player we are missing. Diego so far has been a flop from the German league, but hopefully Dzeko would be money well spent.

Then there is Pazzini, whom has formed a simply formidable partnership with fantasista Antonio Cassano at Sampdoria, a strikeforce that many believe should be spear-heading Italy's World Cup defence this summer. There is not doubting Pazzini's talent, however I can't help but feel that he may become stage-shy, just as Alberto Gilardino did when he moved as a goal machine from provincial club Parma, to mere shadow of his former self at big-boys AC Milan. At mid-table Fiorentina, he has once again found his feet, so Pazzini would undoubtedly be a gamble.

Yet, should a club as prestigious as Juve be reliant on gambles? We should be able to attract the best players in the world like we used to, with the likes of Michele Platini, Zinedine Zidane and Pavel Nedved proudly adorning the black and white stripes. Is Turin really an attractive a prospect as it used to be though, for the likes of Fernando Torres? One can only hope so...

Making way for these much needed striking options, club Legend Alessandro Del Piero has been offered a lucrative move to the MLS. Previously he would never have considered such a move, however this season's performances have not lived up to the phenomenal form he has shown in the last couple of years, and time is no longer on his side. He has been loyal to Juve for the majority of his career and has firmly established himself in their history.

Del Piero, is Juventus.

However, like Buffon he seems to be considering a departure. Unlike certain players however, I believe that these two would only leave if they believed it would benefit the club...as hard as it would be to see them leave, I believe that they will both find it in their hearts to do what's right...

Fourth place seems an impossible dream, so let's just end the season on a high, and look forward to rebuilding a glorious Juventus once more...

Forza Juve.

Agony for the 'Atomic Ant'

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:19:00 +0000

One ray of light in an otherwise bleak season and spineless squad, is the pint-sized gem, Sebastian Giovinco.

Tipped for glory and seemingly destined for great things since he burst on to the scene, Seba has not really been allowed the chance to deliver, and now his season has already come to a premature end.

The season ending injury comes not even a day after his agent had spoken out, demanding that Seba gets more playing time at Juve. The injury appears to be a muscle problem in his left leg, which club medical staff fear will rule him out for the next 45 days.

It is such a shame, as he was expected to start in the Derby D'Italia against Inter on Friday evening, which would have only been his 15th appearance of the season, and only his 6th start.

The purchase of Diego last season was initally seen as genius, however it could very well prove to be the gravest mistake the board has made in recent times...and believe me, there have been a few.

Diego has not lived up to the reputation he had steadily built himself in Germany, but worse than that, he has halted Giovinco's development, something which can not be easily forgiven.

However, things appear to be different under Alberto Zacheronni. Ciro Ferrara and Claudio Ranieri were both fans of the 'Atomic Ant', yet neither really had the grace to give the lad a a real chance with a decent run in the first team.

Zacheronni has been willing to play him, and the 'future of Italy' has managed to attract several suitors, with the limited time he has been given.

Napoli and Sampdoria are are rumoured to be interested in signing him this summer, and to be perfectly honest they way our club has treated him, I would not blame him if he were to go.

At 24-years-old, he should not really need to prove himself to anyone anymore. Everyone is aware of his capabilities and his natural born talent, yet nobody it seems are willing enough to give him a grand stage on which to prove it.

Champions League holders, and almost certainly the best team in the world at the moment, FC Barcelona, have constructed an almighty team, largely made up of players that have come through their youth system. They have been kept together as a solid group, and have now grown into the world class players we know today, such as Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Carles Puyol to name but a few.

Juve tried to take a leaf out of their book by copying what was dubbed the 'Guardiola effect', by appointing an ex-player with relatively little managerial experience to take charge of the team, expecting a similar miracle as conducted by the ex-Barca midfielder. What they failed to realise is, that he had been previously coaching the youth team with relative success, and inherited a senior team of world class individuals that had been nurtured, and most importantly, knew how to play as a team.

Clearly Juventus are a club still in transition, but if they can keep the young talented players they already have at their disposal such as Chiellini, Giovinco and Claudio Marchisio, whilst spending their budget wisely in the transfer window to add strength and experience, we should finally begin to see some positive results, both on and off the pitch.

Claudio Ranieri was told that he was a part of a '3-5 year plan' to get Juve back to the top of the tree, and yet he was barely given a season. Now, his native Roma side are a point clear at the top and only a few games away from clinching what would be a historic, and truly monumental league title...

All fans will be wishing a speedy recovery to Giovinco, and will be eagerly looking forward to crushing Jose Mourinho's Inter, and giving our old friend 'The Tinker Man' a helping hand...

Forza Roma.

Who Ju gunna call?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:41:00 +0000

Many critics have likened Juve's abysmal season to that of Liverpool's. The fact that both clubs crashed out of the Champions League at the group stages and are now currently chasing fourth spot in their respective leagues to be eligible for next year's competetion is almost a perfect mirror image.

The major difference being, when things began to go wrong for the Old Lady, the board decided to twist and replaced Ciro Ferrara at the helm, wheras Liverpool decided to stick with the experienced Rafa Benitez.

Why then, is the Reds boss on a short-list of potential replacements for Alberto Zaccheroni? Benitez undoubtedly has pedigree, but he only ever appeared to have a magic touch when it came to the Champions League, a touch which appears to be escaping him. Like Inter, the Champions League is the one trophy that is coveted by Juventus more than any other. It has been so long since either of them have won it, that it has become the Holy Grail. Jose Mourinho has built a strong unit at Inter that are now only one step away from the final, a position that is bitterly envied by Juve. If Benitez could raise them back to those dizzy heights he would be hailed a hero. However league form cannot continue to dwindle or be sacrificed, and Juve are aslo due a Scudetto. Rafa would not come cheap, and he may just be a gamble that is not worth taking...

It really does speak volumes about the current state of Italian football, when all their best homegrown managers flee to another country in what seems to be a mass exodus of managerial talent. The top three Italian coaches in recent history are now all plying their trade in England; Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, Roberto Mancini at Inter at Fabio Capello, at the helm of the England national team. Not to mention the Godfather Giovanni Trapattoni working wonders for the Republic of Ireland, Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola battling to keep West Ham afloat, and Roberto Di Matteo having just convincingly promoted West Brom back to the Premier League.

Understandably these coaches want to further their careers and win more trophies, but surely they should be attempting to clean up the mess of their own league rather than jumping ship. Will Italian players now follow suit? I know that I keep going on about Giorgio Chiellini, but it is raw talents like him that Serie A should be fighting to keep a hold of. With Manchester City sniffing around yet again, it could only be a matter of time before he follows in the footstepts of fellow export Alberto Aquilani. Are we about to see another successful flurry of Italians gracing the Premiership like we did in the nineties, with the likes of Chelsea trio Gianfranco Zola, ,Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Di Matteo, as well as Crystal Palace hero Atillio Lombardo,Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United and Charlton Athletic legend Paolo Di Canio , and Middlesbrough, Derby County and Dundee star Fabrizio Ravanelli becoming household names?

All this, from a country whom won the World Cup four years ago through solidarity, and a team made up entirely of players who were playing in Italy at the time.

With Italy's fourth Champions League spot at risk of being rescinded, due to a 'points' system which could see them overtaken by Germany, it seems Italian football needs to pull it's socks up once and for all.

Inter are now Italy's sole hope of retaing this fourth European spot, and they only contain four Italians in their squad. How ironic, that the fourth placed finish that Juve are hunting for is in the hands of bitter rivals Inter, and Inter's fourth consecutive league title could very well be in the hands of Juve.

Finally, Ju give us some hope

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 23:49:00 +0000

Tonight saw a turn up for the books - 3 points at home and a leap up the table -albeit from 7th to 6th, but every little helps.

However the goal came not from club captain and all-time top Juve goalscorer Ale Del Piero, or all-time top foreign goalscorer David Trezeguet, but from a player that I have already cited as being a standout hero, versatile defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Now, I am not saying that this is a bad thing, not at all. The form that we've been in, we need goals in any which way we can grab them. We could qualify for the Champions League without scoring another goal. If we won our remaining games with an own goal in each one, it would be far from glamorous or ideal but I can't imagine too many people would complain. However when your two most recognised strikers are struggling to get into double figures at such a late stage of the season, when in previous seasons they'd been hitting 20+, alarm bells start ringing.

What is also worrying for fans of the Italian national team is that the crux of the team heading to defend their World Champions status in South Africa are Juve players - players which are currently frighteningly off form.

This win has undoubtedly steadied the ship, and now only three points behind fourth placed Palermo, there seems to be renewed optimism in the Bianconeri camp. The majority of their remaining fixtures are certainly winnable, only two stern tests still to come; away to AC Milan for the final game of the season on Sunday May 16th, but first away to defending champions Inter, in five days time on Friday April 16th.

It's strange to think that, even though there is no way that they can win the title themselves, La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady) can still have a decisive hand in who does...

No Ju - can't!

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:41:00 +0000

Easter Saturday saw Juventus' heaviest league defeat this season; a 3-0 drubbing away to relegation battlers Udinese.

What on earth is going on!? With precious few games left as the season begins to ebb away, every remaining point is now vital. Every game should be seen as a 'Cup Final', and every player should be giving their all for the shirt...but it's as if they don't care.

After the game, they decided to keep a media silence and not give a press conference, instead deciding to issue a statement APOLOGISING to the fans. An apology? We don't want an APOLOGY! And we, as loyal fans should not be in a position where the team we support feel the need to offer us one!

It's just humiliating to everyone involved, and it is clear that many of the players are not committed to the cause. Even club legends such as Buffon and Del Piero, who stuck by the club when they were relegated to Serie B after Calciopoli, are having their repuatations tarnished. Once globally recognised as the greatest goalkeeper in the world, particularly after his World Cup heroics in 2006, Buffon is slowly beginning to lose respect. He has suffered several injuries in the last couple of years and looks a mere shadow of his former self, but he has not been helped at all by his team-mates.

Fabio Cannavaro is a legend, for both club and country and has won it all. It was a mistake for him to return as his legs simply do not wish to carry him anymore. Paulo Maldini was able to stay relatively fit and adapt to different positions to prolong his career. Unless Fabio can do likewise, i'm sorry to say it is time to hang up his boots.

The only ray of light in our stuttering defence is Giorgio Chiellini, the young defender who is strong and versatile, and has won admiration from big clubs all over the world. We will do well to keep a hold of him, as he and Buffon need to be the foundations of the defence. All they need to do is find him a world class partner, instead of wasting money on flops like Diego and Felipe Melo...

Something has to change, and drastically. You can't help but feel no matter how nice a guy Claudio Ranieri is, he must have a wry smile on his face. Sacked by Juve at the end of last season for a long run without a win, he has now gone on to lead Roma from out of the relegation zone, to merely a point off top spot....

Meanwhile, Juventus are on their second coach since Ranieri and lie seventh in the table. Is there a lesson to be learnt there, Bianconeri?

Zaccheroni: Can Ju - fix it?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:57:00 +0000

Thursday night saw another impressive performance from a solid, if unspectacular Fulham side at home to Wolfsburg in the Europa League. However I could not help but think that this was a match, with no disrespect at all to Fulham or to Roy Hodgson who has done a fantastic job, that should have been contested by Juventus.

Sure, the Calciopoli scandal (which my 'mates' do not let me forget) certainly derailed what was once a successful team, by fair means or otherwise...but that was three years ago, and last year alone we spent over 50 million Euros. Ok, new players need time to gel, but there is taking time to gel, and then there is playing like absolute shit.

There can be no more excuses. With talk rife about who will replace the interim Alberto Zaccheroni at the helm, only an exceptional run of results in the final stages of the season, combined with a few slip ups from fellow fourth placed contenders Palermo, Sampdoria and Napoli will see them qualify for Europe's elite competition again.

Do they deserve it? Well if they somehow miraculously pull it off, then yes, otherwise it will be it's slightly less glamorous, yet seemingly just as tough (yes, that is a snide sideswipe)little sister, the Europa League.

It's just a pretty big 'if'...

The joys of Juve-th

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Siglioccolo) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:25:00 +0000

Crashing out of the Champions League at the group stages seemed at the time to be the final straw. I'm not sure 'funny' is the word, but what a funny thing hindsight is. Rather than being the last straw, it was in fact the catalyst that flung the floodgates open to a create a snowballing of disasters, that don't look set to cease any time soon. That was simly the tip of the ice-burg.

As a long suffering Bianconero, enough is now enough and I feel the need to speak up and express my utter despair at the pathetic excuse for a a football club that is, Juventus F.C.

Having been brought up in Evesham in the heart of Worcestershire, or 'The Sham' as we affectionately dubbed it, I have received so much stick for supporting an Italian team that I've become quite adept at making wigwams. Suffice to say, at last I feel that it is deserved.

Being of Italian decent, and youngest son of a Tottenham Hotspur fan meant that my opinon of football as a child was neither here nor there. In fact, I absolutely detested it, but looking back the capacity, and most probably the genes within me capable of falling in love with calcio were just waiting to be ignited.

Then one day it happened, and I remember that night as clearly as I can see the laptop screen from which I am typing this...it was May 14, 2003. Champions League Semi-final second leg, Juventus v Real Madrid. The tie was in the balance after Real Madrid's narrow 2-1 victory at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with David Trezeguet grabbing a precious away goal.

For some reason I was bored and decided to watch the first few minutes of the game. Most likely I was avoiding doing homework or something, but never before that moment had I really given football a chance. It only took 12 minutes for Trezegol to repeat his trick from the first leg and put the Bianconeri 1-0 up. What followed was quite simply a footballing masterclass, handed out to the so called 'Galacticos'.

Pavel Nedved, who had been bought to help 'fill the void' left by Zinedine Zidane, stole the show. His decisive goal, and Juve's third of the game was sensational, and the look on Zidane's face when he scored it was priceless. At half time I asked my father who my Grandad used to support. I was quite close to my Grandad, but not quite as close as I would have liked to have been. He had just recently died and it was all still quite fresh, and difficult to deal with.

"Juventus", replied my father.

I was sold. Having viewed what I still consider to be one of the best games of football I have ever witnessed, with Juve running out winners 4-3 on aggregate, I decided from that day that I would carry on my Grandad's mantle, and support the MIGHTY Juventus. They went on to lose the final at Old Trafford to bitter rivals A.C Milan in the first and so far only ever all-Italian final, but it really did not seem to matter. This is a brilliant team, thought I, and they will be back. They've beaten the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid with relative ease, they will win the Champions League next year...

Oh boy, how wrong I was...