A special tribute to an exceptional captain. Juventus has been remembering Gianluca Vialli since yesterday morning with words, images and videos, but the greeting of the black and white world will be staged tonight at the Stadium – between the grandstand and the pitch – before, during and after the championship match against Udinese. “You will always remain in our hearts”, is the thought that unites clubs and fans in this painful moment. There will not only be mourning on the players’ arms and a minute’s silence before the match’s kick-off, scheduled for 6pm, for a recollection that will be repeated in all Italian fields and in Juve which is amplified by the recent death of Ernesto Castano. In a sold-out Stadium, a lay and football farewell will be held to a champion who has made Juve history: the image of the Champions League raised in Rome in 1996 bounces from all sides and will be the backdrop to the celebration of those who have left a mark profound and not only because he was the last captain to win the most beautiful and coveted cup. «Gianluca represented so much as a man and as a footballer – said Massimiliano Allegri yesterday, before observing a minute’s silence in the press conference on the eve of the match -: he was an example to follow and we will all miss him. I would like to recall what Vialli leaves to the youngsters and when he played he was struck by the expression of how he interpreted the matches: with technique, heart and passion ».
Perhaps the circle had already closed on Wednesday, when Juventus played in Cremona after 27 years: it was their match and the Bianconeri fans unrolled the banner “Luca Vialli scores for us” and sang the historic chorus, gathering the moved applause of the “Zini”. At his home he had scored one of the most beautiful goals in the black and white shirt, the famous bicycle kick on 23 October 1994, while last 4 September he went to see the “Cremo” in the gray and red shirt after returning to Serie A. It was the he last time in a stadium for Vialli and now in all Italian stadiums it will be celebrated in the most solemn way, while the emotion will be great at the Stadium and at Marassi, where Sampdoria hosts Napoli tomorrow. «You have been an example for all of us – remembers Leonardo Bonucci, captain of Juve and the national team -: I think of you, of your words in every match, of your strength, of the desire to always be with us even at the expense of your health . A man with important values that will have to live within each of us, because great men like you deserve to be remembered forever”.
Juve is preparing to honor their captain and also wants to play a great match against Udinese to dedicate the victory to him. It would be the eighth in a row in the league and to achieve this Allegri plans to field world champion Angel Di Maria in attack, in support of Kean, while Chiesa is playing for a starting position with McKennie on the right wing in the 3-5-2 White black. Just a year ago, the blue striker scored his last goal for Juve, on January 6 in the big match against Napoli, while Monday is the anniversary of his serious knee injury (January 9 in Rome). Now is his moment, also to dedicate a thought to Vialli with whom he shared the joy of Wembley in July 2021.