However, there’s another Alessandro on the scene at Juve. And he’s not there to live in the shadow of his namesake. Alessandro Matri is, unlike the striker-cum-winger del Piero, an out-and-out striker who has, of late, been relentless in scoring for Juventus, helping to propel them to the summit of Serie A.
At 27, he’s not the prodigious talent that fans may have been expecting; he’s had a hugely unspectacular career thus far. A product of the AC Milan youth-conveyer belt, he only managed one appearance at the Rossoneri, and that was in an unimportant match at the end of the 2002/03 season, when Carlo Ancelotti was resting his main flock for the upcoming Champions League final bout (against, ironically, Juventus, who were beaten on penalties). Loan spells followed: first Prato, then Lumezzane, and then Rimini, where he did manage to secure a run in the first-team, he just never got the goals his talent –and parent-team – required.
It was after transferring to Cagliari where he really cemented his name as an upcoming player, one worthy of the attention. Three and a half seasons at the Sardinian team proved him to be capable as, although not first-choice, he did manage to score when given the chance. It was during the first half of last season where he became prolific: 11 goals in 22 Serie A games, where the staunch defending limits chances, was a solid return and one which led to Juventus, chasing a Europe-qualifying position, take him on loan for the remainder of the season.
Being a journeyman, with many clubs having already homed him, it was almost inevitable that he would score his first goals for his newest employers against a former team. But nobody expected it to be against Cagliari, a team who had offered him a route back into the game, just a few days after signing for the Turin outfit. But, nevertheless, a brace on his second appearance helped Juve to a solid victory and assisted Matri in winning over the notoriously-volatile supporters.
Fast-forward nine months: Matri seized his chances with such aplomb – nine goals in sixteen appearances, in other words – that Juventus made his move permanent, a decision enhanced by his goal-scoring debut for the national team. More recently, and pressingly, though, earlier in the week he scored the match-winner against Fiorentina to provide yet more momentum to the Old Lady’s early-season charge up the table. With only nine games down, the title gauntlet is far from decided. But, on this form, the Alessandro from Milan may soon be joining the Alessandro from Turin as a fan’s favourite.
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Grande Del Piero!
Let’s hope he don’t flop!