30 January 2016
- Off the mark with Ale
A historical countdown of memorable moments in any fixture is unlikely to avoid any reference to Alessandro Del Piero and this one is unashamedly no different.
Marcelo Lippi took a Juventus side to the Stadio Bentegodi to face Chievo for the first time ever on 21 September 1994 in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia. The Gialloblu, then of Serie B, could do little to halt their illustrious visitors that afternoon as goals from Del Piero and a penalty-spot double for Fabrizio Ravanelli ensured Mauro Antonioli's strike was nothing more than a consolation for the hosts.
- Fearless Ferrara
While the two teams would not meet in the league until 2002, the result would remain the same... exactly the same, a 3-1 away win for Juve. Opening the scoring that day was a certain Ciro Ferrara, showing the same tenacity and bravery you would expect from a battle-hardened defender to nod home from close range.
Ciro's strike would set his side on the way to the second of nine consecutive triumphs over Chievo, extending them the toughest of welcomes to the country's top-flight.
- "Are we winning?"
Sometimes a simple gesture can tell a story by itself. Just ask Gianluigi Buffon as he struggles with the Verona fog in January 2003's comprehensive 4-1 win.
It's just a shame he couldn't see any of the goals going in, really.
- Beware of the ex
Juve, and ex-Chievo defender Nicola Legrottaglie particularly, would return to inflict more misery on the home faithful just a matter of months later with the full-back scoring the first of two goals in a tightly contested 2-1 victory.
David Trezeguet would net the winner shortly after the interval.
- The secret goalscorer
Coming immediately on the back of a titanic extra-time European tustle with Real Madrid, March 2005's trip to Verona served as an example of the importance of having a deep and competitive squad.
Lining up with Champions League heroes Trezeguet and Marcelo Zalayeta up front and Del Piero returning to the side just behind them, it seemed another big Bianconeri win at the Bentegodi was firmly on the cards.
That was the plan, anyway. Yet with the scores firmly deadlocked at 0-0 with 14 minutes remaining, Del Piero's time was up. Coming on in his place was Ruben Oliveira who succeeded in doing what his famed colleagues could not, slotting home from close range three minutes from time to seal a last-gasp victory.
- Happy Birthday, Alex
The date is 9 November 2008 and a commemorative "Happy Birthday, Captain" banner is unfurled in the away end at the Stadio Bentegodi.
There was only one way said captain would celebrate his birthday, and that was with a goal, his 249th in a Juventus jersey.
- Of course there's a bicycle kick...
While the symbolic importance of Del Piero's effort stands alone in the history of this fixture, few will match the technical qualities of Fabio Quagliarella's superb bicycle-kick in 2010's encounter.
Undeservedly, Quagliarella's acrobatics would not be enough for the three points as Chievo fought back to force an equaliser.
- How did you get there, Stephan?
What is Stephan Lichsteiner doing there, on the left corner of the opposition penalty area? Since you ask, the Swiss Express' opportunism and eye for goal in 2013 saw him pounce to double the Old Lady's lead following Alessandro Matri's early volley.
Cyril Thereau's second-half effort would furrow a few brows on the bench but Antonio Conte's men dug deep to see the game out in relative comfort.
- They all count
- Last time out
Ok, so this effort eventually went down as an own-goal but who would have the heart to tell the joyfully celebrating Martin Caceres otherwise?
This penalty-box mix-up settled proceedings in Verona back in August 2014 and a win this Sunday means finding the net in equally scrappy fashion, then so be it.
