Apparently, soccer comebacks are all the rage right now. Landon Donovan is back playing with León, Freddy Adu rediscovered his love for soccer with the Las Vegas Lights, Marco Reus is back scoring for Dortmund and now a Gianluigi Buffon Italy return appears imminent.
This was a big week for Juventus. Not only did they get a hiding in the Champions League, they also released a self-glorifying TV show and lined up against their old cross-city rivals, Torino.
This kind of glitz and glamour is what we’ve come to expect from the reigning six-time champions. It shows why they’re one of the countries best loved and most hated teams, all at once.
But what did we actually learn from this week?
Martín Cáceres may want to commit the final lines of the Brand New song “The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot” to memory. The track is now a fitting anthem for the Lazio right back.
“Call me a safe bet, I’m betting I’m not.
I’m glad that you can forgive; I’m only hoping as time goes, you can forget.”
Being hated is part of the Juventus lifestyle. As the most successful team in Italy, there is plenty of fan bases who know nothing but contempt for the Old Lady.
Some of these hatreds are local, such as the rivalry with Torino, while some are based on success, such as the competitiveness with Inter. For Napoli fans, the rivalry is an extension of the north-south divide in the country. Likewise, many fans simply hate Juventus for their … controversial approach to winning at all costs. Some simply hate the fact that they win so much.
Gianluigi Buffon, a legend of the game, set another milestone on Friday. The Italian goalkeeper made his 500th league appearance for the Bianconeri in a 2-0 win for Juventus vs Fiorentina at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Buffon also had a clean sheet — thanks to a little help from VAR and the woodwork.
Here’s the first official trailer for Netflix’s upcoming documentary on Juventus FC, and it looks sensational. Netflix is going behind the scenes at the 33-time Italian champions, and it appears as if the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Gonzalo Higuain will feature heavily alongside club legends like Alessandro Del Piero.
And if you don’t want to watch it because of Calciopoli, you don’t have to! Nobody wants to listen to your sanctimonious patronizing, so go shit on someone else’s parade.
Clubs have DNA. Not in the chemical sense but more in terms of the enduring cultural traits which are endemic to every single iteration of the team they put out onto the field.
Manchester United and their propensity for scoring late, important goals.
Barcelona and their Cruyffian pass pass pass.
Tottenham Hotspur and their glorious failure.
These are values which develop and manifest in a number of different ways. But over the course of many generations, fans will be able to witness these teams reverting to the values built into the very fabric of the club.