Thursday, December 25, 2008
Juventus In 2008: 2nd Episode
2008 is on its way out. A very positive year for Juventus who returned with the great European teams through the qualification for the Champions League.
Juventus.com relives the long voyage by Ranieri’s team in six episodes. Here is the second episode: March and April.
MARCH
The bad moment between February and March continued against Fiorentina. Against Prandelli’s team Juventus started off badly conceding a goal to be equalized and score the advantage thanks to Sissoko and Camoranesi. However the advantage is momentary because the viola have a better end to the match and manage to obtain a 3-2 victory which seemed remote some minutes before.
When a portion of the critics start to question the qualification to the Champions League, the team reacts in the best of manners, starting from the difficult away match to Genoa. At the Ferraris its an unexpected protagonist that wins the limelight: Zdenek Grygera. The Czech, positioned for the first time on the left, gives himself a night to remember scoring the first goal and passing the ball to Trezeguet for the second: 2-0 and bye bye crisis.
This is repeated one week later when Juventus obtain a golden victory. With the knowledge of what happened one year before, at the back of their mind, Ranieri’s team are determined to avenge themselves against Napoli. The Bianconeri are aggressive right from the start but the Napoli bunker manages to resist. This goes on up to the near end of the match, when thanks to great play by Molinaro, Iaquinta manages to find the right space scoring a goal worth three points: the “revenge” is complete.
A great start to the week leading to the most expected match : the super-encounter with Inter.
However there is a mid-week match to be played, one away to Giovinco’s and Marchisio’s Empoli. The Castellani stadium does not bring good luck and after the KO in the Italian Cup the end result is 0-0 (with Iaquinta denied a penalty), a result which still aids the league placing and which is a sort of antipasto for a delicious meal.
Saturday 22nd, the eve of Easter, Del Piero and friends give the Juventus supporters the most badly-wanted victory. Inter beaten in Milan by 2-1 thanks to goals scored by Camoranesi (once again on the scoring list after having scored in the first round) and Trezeguet. At the Meazza only the many Juventus supporters are rejoicing. The points will not lead to the victory of the scudetto but they have the same taste.
This is practically the end of March. The home match against Parma will have to be postponed due to an unexpected tragedy. A Parma supporter (Matteo Bagnaresi) loses his life while travelling to Turin. The match is post-poned to mid-April.
April
With a match in hand, Juventus begin the month which will turn out to be decisive for a return to European football. April begins with a false start, which seem the start to a bad month. In Palermo a great come-back signed by Del Piero, more and more a protagonist from now on, is not enough. The match ends 3-2 for the Rosanero thanks to a great goal scored by ex-Juventus player Cassani but most of all thanks to two goals scored by Amauri who begins to show the Juventus supporters what he is capable of doing. Soon, every goal scored by the Brazilian will be a reason for celebration.
The come-back is however behind the corner, beginning from the Barbera where the team manages to achieve the decisive sequence. Knowing that they are back on the right track Juventus take on Milan. This time the three points won are not worth the scudetto but a place in the Champions League. A match rich of emotions. Del Piero with the opener, followed by two goals by Inzaghi. Towards the end of the first half its Brazzo Salihamidzic who equalises. The Bosnian player is not happy enough and in the second half scores the match-winner and his personal double: 3-2
Three goals against Milan, and another three goals against Parma. During the week it is time to play the postponed match. The team from Emilia arrive at the Olimpico knowing that they have to fight against relegation, with Hector Cuper on the bench, but return home with a 3-0 defeat. Trezeguet and Palladino seal the success in the first-half while Tiago forces Morrone to an own-goal in the second half. The target is close.
With the passing of the week, Ranieri’s team become a nearly perfect machine. Sissoko’s immediate fit and the duel for goals between Del Piero and Trezeguet – both trying to win the top-scorer post but most of all the greater self-belief in the capabilities of the team begin to make a difference.
The away match in Bergamo is sealed in six minutes, the time for Legrottaglie (in collaboration with Stendardo) and Del Piero to score two goals. The captain scores another two to make the final score 0-4. Sunday 27th April becomes a historical date.
Lazio arrive in Turin and Juventus has the match point in hand: with a victory the return to European football is guaranteed. Another fiery start and by the first half hour Juventus are already four goals ahead thanks to Chiellini, Camoranesi, Del Piero and Trezeguet. Five goals scored just like at Arezzo, less then a year before, when Juventus were promoted from the Serie B. In 12 months, Juventus returned to its natural home: the Champions League!
Juventus.com
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