19 May 2019
Tip-toeing. This is how Andrea Barzagli leaves the field. One of the strongest defenders in the history of Italian football has decided to hang up his boots, and his goodbye not only moves those of the Bianconeri fans, but all lovers of a sport interpreted with increasingly precious values: passion, dedication, attachment, and education.
During the winter of the 2010/11 season, when his appointment was announced, the Juventus fans weren’t even aware that they would be welcoming a legend. Yet it was one of the heroes of the 2006 World Cup - already a U21 European Champion in 2004, and a winner of an absolutely historic Bundesliga campaign with Wolfsburg in 2008/09 – who crossed through the gates of Vinovo.
But, perhaps, not even Andrea was fully aware of what was about to happen to him.
Finally, even in Italy, he could perform in in a team worthy a World Cup winner, it would be a meeting that would change his life forever, not only on the field, and he himself admitted it a few years later: “The summer in which we won the first title, whilst on holiday I only thought about winning the second. I had a hunger in me that was never there before. Before, I had a mediocre mentality and therefore I was a mediocre player. Not sure what happened at Juventus, but my mentality transformed. I am not sure how, but nobody will ever change it again.”
Sharing a unique environment and with unrepeatable companions certainly contributed to Barzagli's winning transformation. Amongst this, a defensive line that was deserving of an acronym: the iconic BBC, Barzagli-Bonucci-Chiellini, where there was, of course, another B alongside them: Gianluigi Buffon.
It’s a department that has filled the history of the Club with pages of unforgettable moments. In addition, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, are the only players to win eight Scudetti in a row. For them, it has been record after record, and one that has always had the best defence in the league.
The Bianconeri republic took very little time to become attached to the champion as much as the man; a true, silent and precious leader of a dressing room overflowing with personality.
The career and the life of Barzagli in bianconero has enjoyed many historic moments, curiously always against the same adversary, Atalanta. Since that final game of the 2011/12 season, that of which he won his first Scudetto. In the 46th minute of the second half, Juventus won a penalty, the ball was already on the spot and suddenly the stadium, without premeditation, begins to invoke his name. A goosebumps-evoking ovation: “Barzagli! Barzagli!” Everyone wants him to score his first goal in Bianconero, and him, quite taken aback, ran up the field to meet the fans’ request and to put the icing on his Scudetto cake. An emotion he will never forget.
Also, his second and last goal arrived in the 2015/16 season, when Napoli and Juventus were equal on points at the top of the log. Once again, it’s against the Nerazzurri, this time in Bergamo. What remains is his only goal scored in open play in the black and white jersey, and in a match that was key to securing the fifth consecutive Scudetto.
Now, his time to say good bye to the Juventus fans will come against Atalanta. It will be another occasion where he will feel the affection of the fans, which will coincide with him lifting the trophy up for the eight time under the Turin sky.
It will be a moving farewell, but one that will not be sad. Because when Barzagli leaves the field, he will be permanently placed into the history of the club. His shirt number 15 will now hang in the Juventus Museum. Andrea Barzagli and Juventus forever united by an indissoluble destiny.
Thank you for everything, champion!
