Tuesday, August 17, 2010
On Thursday Evening The 9th Official Match In Austria
After Shamrock Rovers, eliminated in Preliminary Third Round of Europa League, Juventus is now ready to face Sturm Graz for the first time in his history. But if Ireland (as Eire) was a country Juventus had never “footbally” visited, in Austria the bianconeri have already played eight official matches. The first one in far 1933, the last one in 2005.
Eight matches played and a result smiling at Juventus which won on four occasions, got a draw, but also suffered three defeats. And reading the list you understand how this trend has been literally reversed during history. Austrian victories were all achieved on the occasion of the first three matches, between 1933 and 1958.
We start between 1933 and 1934, years in which Italy comes into prominence winning its first World Championship. But if the National Team is so famous, clubs are suffering. And among these also Juventus which for two consecutive seasons is forced to stop its run in the Central Europe Cup because of an Austrian team. Both times on semifinal.
The first time vs. Austria Vienna. On the 9th of July 1933 Juventus crosses the Alps but comes back with a 3-0 knot-out. A mountain to climb for the return match which, in Turin, ends 1-1. The following year another Austrian team – Admira Wacker – and another standstill on an away match. It’s the 25th of July 1934 and it ends 3-1, mostly thanks to a goal by Orsi in the last minutes, which leaves some hopes. Four days after that, in the return match played in Genova, Juventus is winning 2-0 but the 2-1 takes them to the ground and put an end to the dream.
To watch another match we have to wait 24 years. In 1958 things seem to be changing. Also because Juventus is the Juventus of Boniperti, Sivori and Charles. In the first round of Champions Cup, the bianconeri find Wiener Sport. They start from Turin and three goals by Sivori (3-1) make everyone hope. But on October the 1st, the team trained by Brocic faces an unexpected debacle, most of all for its proportions. It ends with a 7-0 which, besides blocking the way in the championship, it is the heaviest defeat ever in European Championships so far.
Anyway the result has a positive data for Juventus: it’s absolutely the last in Austria. The wind changes in 1971. In Uefa Cup Juventus finds Rapid Vienna for the first time. At Prater, on November 24th, Bettega is determinant. A 1-0 deleting the zero box of victories and sending Juventus to the following round. Also because the result of the return match is a no questions 4-1, with a wild Bettega scoring three times.
It’s the first historic qualification at the expenses of an Austrian team. First in order of time, which opens a series of five consecutive passages of round. Often also thanks to a success on away matches. In the Coppa delle Coppe 1990 (24th of October), Austria Vienna is beaten at home by a peremptory 4-0 (Casiraghi scores twice, Baggio and Schillaci) which delete the previous in 1958, but opens the way to the round passage. On the return match is another poker, with Baggio scoring three times.
In 1994, exactly 60 years after, they serve their revenge to Admira Wacker. It’s Lippi’s first Juventus, going all the way down every competition. On Uefa path there is also the 1-3 in Vienna (again dated November 24th, like the first success in 1971), with Baggio scoring again twice and one goal by Conte. On the return match they only need to manage the situation and win 2-1.
Two years after, season 1996/97, Juventus, Europe Champion, finds Rapid again in the eliminatory round. Austrians have their satisfaction not to lose in front of their supporters. On October 16th, the match ends 1-1 with a bianconero goal by Vieri. But on the return match they suffer a no questions 5-0, with Del Piero and Boksic scoring twice and a goal by Montero. At the end, the bianconeri ahead and the Viennese eliminated.
Same fate in season 2005/06, when Juventus and Rapid find themselves in Champions’ round. The bianconeri win five matches out of six in the round. Two of which vs. the Austrians. In Turin it’s a 3-0 thanks to Trezeguet, Mutu and Ibrahimovic. On the return match, on December 7th, Del Piero enters more than ever in history. In the result of 1-3 in Vienna, the Captain scores twice, his Juventus goals number 191 and 192 that is the same of the leader of top scorers of all times Giampiero Boniperti (including also goals scored in Central Europe Cup).
A calculation that, after the bravery scored in Modena vs. Shamrock, went up to 274 and that Del Piero surely wants to increase. Already starting from Thursday match at the UPC Arena in Graz.
Juventus.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment