The story of how Juve recovered from the depths of Serie B to emerge again as one of Europe’s heavyweights, as they gear up for the Champions’ League final.
Just 80 kilometres from Florence, often cited as one of the famous tourist spots, there lies a town named Arezzo. Endowed with castles and scenery, this small city hides some Italian traditions that needs to be experienced in person, making it apt for a day trip. The city’s football team, U. S. Arezzo, on the other hand, didn’t ever have it all sunny, now playing in Lega Pro, as supporters still find themselves reminiscing about their days in Serie B. Exactly a decade ago, their fate for the 2006-07 season was finalised after they received a 5-1 thumping from the league leaders, as U. S. Arezzo were relegated to the third division at the end of the season. But this is not about the struggle of the men in all magenta, rather it’s about the club that was home to Arezzo’s then manager Antonio Conte, for thirteen years, the club that won the Serie B after defeating Arezzo on that fine sunny afternoon.
The club that is called Juventus FC. La Fidanzata d’Italia.
What made the ‘Italy’s Fiancée’ endure such rickety stadiums in the wilderness of the lower leagues being so fatally injured and embarrassed? How did she even make her way all the way up to the top to rehabilitate the marriage and make it a habit to go to toe to toe with Spanish giants in a quest to claim European football’s most elusive prize? All thanks to a rollercoaster ride for a decade, with a story suitable enough for a blockbuster Hollywood comeback story giving the likes of Mickey Rourke and Robert Downey Jr. a run for their money.