Juventus representatives visit the Vatican & are blessed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone

Juventus were represented by club president Andrea Agnelli, general manager Giuseppe Marotta and centre-forward Alessandro Matri on a club visit to the Vatican.

Although 300 people were present at the meeting, one person absent was coach Antonio Conte, who missed the trip suffering from flu.

Conte was not alone in missing the evening, as even Cardinal Bertone, widely known to be a great Juventus fan, could not attend the dinner.

A message was read out on his behalf to the Turin giants' representatives praising the team's "promising and encouraging" start to the season.

"Juventus are from my childhood and have endured throughout my life," Tuttosport quotes Bertone as saying, before the Cardinal blessed the club and Conte and Agnelli personally in a message read out by his deputy.

The current Serie A leaders return to action on October 16 with a trip to Stadio Bentegodi to face Chievo.