Juventus showing ‘new energy’ – Del Piero

Alessandro Del Piero has taken the time to praise his former club for ‘new energy’ on display at Club World Cup, despite ‘coming straight from a not-so-great season’.

Juventus qualified for the knockout stages of the newly-reformatted FIFA competition, defeating Al Ain and Wydad but succumbing to a heavy 5-2 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Head coach Igor Tudor, who recently extended with the club, will see his side face off against Real Madrid in the round of 16 in what will be a great test for the Bianconeri eager to put their loss to Guardiola’s City behind them.

Del Piero: ‘Changing coach mid-season is unusual for Juventus’

Del Piero, speaking to FIFA whilst at the Club World Cup, said that:

“[They’ve been] coming off a not-so-great season that they have had. They had the coach change mid-season, something very unusual for Juve.

“Performing this way is good, passing through the group stage is very important. And the way that they did it is very important also – so it feels that there is a new energy on the field and the players are doing great – beside the last game.

“But you know, I was a fan, I was a player, I’m still a fan so I hope and wish the best for my team.”

Del Piero spent 19 years at Juventus from 1993 to 2012 and scoring just under 200 Serie A goals in that time and playing over 700 times for the Bianconeri in all competitions.