Many battles on the field, exactly 28 to be precise. With some victories that remain imprinted in the mind and some defeats that still sting. A past made up of challenges, goals, continuous and even bitter battles. But always with great respect, because on the pitch this is how things have to go. The history between Daniele De Rossi and Juventus is a long one, as the current Roma coach also recalled in the press conference. But there is a key passage that also explains how in rivalry, even bitter ones, there can still be respect.
The banner
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It’s May 19, 2019, Juventus plays against Atalanta at the Allianz Stadium, it’s the celebration match for the eighth consecutive scudetto. A week later, on May 26th, Roma-Parma is scheduled, Daniele De Rossi’s last match in the Giallorossi. And then the Juventus fans want to pay homage to him, having had him as a rival in many battles. And in the Curva Sud of the Turin stadium a banner appears with the writing: “Hello De Rossi, first a man and then a footballer”, wanting to reiterate the respect for the human qualities of the world champion. A banner that obviously pleased the midfielder from Ostia very much, who after many battles with the Bianconeri has always recognized certain merits. So much so that even in 2017, after a home victory for the Giallorossi against Allegri’s team, Juventus social media declared: “De Rossi’s great rival”. De Rossi, in fact, had recognized the value of his opponents a few days earlier, also spending sweet words on Gianluigi Buffon, considered one of the “dearest friends I have in the world of sport”. So who knows how – and if – the Juventus fans will pay homage to De Rossi tomorrow, in their first match with Daniele as coach.
