01 November 1897
This season will be an historical year for Wednesday’s opponents Frosinone whatever they achieve in their maiden Serie A league campaign.
It was up to Juventus though, and more specifically Alessandro Del Piero, to make history in the first ever meeting between the two teams just over nine years ago: on 28 October 2006 on Serie B Matchday 9, Del Piero ticked off another feted landmark in his illustrious era in the black and white jersey.
Rested by manager Didier Deschamps, Juve’s skipper did not actually start the game at the Stadio Olimpico as Valeri Bojinov partnered Trezeguet in attack with a midfield of Matteo Paro, Cristiano Zanetti, Mauro Camoranesi and Pavel Nedved behind them.
Roared on by an impressive away following of over 1000, the Canaries arrived in Turin hoping to take at least a point home to southern Lazio as well as to break Gianluigi Buffon’s impressive run of not conceding for 500 minutes. On both counts, they were unsuccessful as with 17 minutes remaining, Il Pinturicchio’s moment arrived.
Collecting the ball in the wide right position, Alessandro Birindelli got his head up and delivered a teasing cross into the visitors’ penalty area. Sensing the danger, Gialloblu goalkeeper Massimo Zappino came rushing off his line to clear, only to spill the ball straight to the feet of Nedved.
Capitalising on the error, the Furia Ceca’s effort came back off the post and, via the knee of David Trezeguet, presented a chance to the Bianconeri’s number ten of the sort he built his career on. Reacting first to the loose ball, Alessandro pounced to drill home past the two covering Frosinone defenders on the line for his 200th goal for Juventus.
Deschamps’ men were celebrating once more for the return fixture the following May, as a brace from Marcelo Zalayeta earned the Bianconeri a tenth successive away win.
The encounter swung once more on the arrival of Del Piero from the substitutes’ bench as one minute after coming on, Zalayeta headed home from Camoranesi’s cross before adding a late second in stoppage time.
Two previous meetings then between the sides but Wednesday’s will be the first at the new home of the champions. While Frosinone will have their eyes on making history, the hosts will be looking for a third consecutive victory over both the Gialloblu and in all competitions.
