Alessandro Del Piero, the legendary former captain of Juventus, recently celebrated his 50th birthday and took the opportunity to reflect on his storied career during an interview with storyteller Federico Buffa and Sky Sport director Federico Ferri in the format “Federico Buffa Talks.” Del Piero shared insights about his past experiences, his unwavering connection to Juventus, and his thoughts on the club’s future.
On the subject of returning to Juventus, Del Piero expressed a strong belief in the importance of having club legends involved in its operations: “I believe that a person, or more than one person from a club’s history, should be present and hold roles within the organization. The bond I have with Juve, along with all those who participated in my journey with the club, remains as beautiful as it was back then. I will never tarnish it with anything if I were to take on a role in this organization.”
Del Piero reminisced about his time at Juventus during a challenging period in 2006 when the club faced relegation to Serie B. He recalled, “When we were relegated to Serie B, we encountered a completely different league than what we were used to. That was a dramatic moment for Juve. There was so much hatred directed at us; we were the scapegoats who had to suffer on the pitch. I thought about how just a month and a half earlier, I was in Berlin lifting the World Cup. Despite everything, I felt calm because being there in Serie B was my choice. It was dramatic not only for how people viewed us but also for what they thought of us.”
He acknowledged the difficulties faced by the team during that time: “I played alongside extraordinary teammates in Serie B. It was a moment of reconstruction for Juve; we had gaps in our squad and were also hit with a -17 point deduction. For every team we faced, it was the match of their lives; we couldn’t afford many smiles.”
