Whether the article was accurate or not made little difference. What was written, truth or lie, was thoroughly depressing. In a piece which focused on Juventus’ current crop of attackers and their likelihood of remaining in Turin next season, the misfiring Marco Borriello was reported to have a 10 per cent chance, Alessandro Del Piero was said to have one.

That was on the morning of Del Piero’s 700th appearance in a black and white shirt, just hours before a moment of magic from the talismanic captain ensured three crucial points versus Lazio. In a brief cameo role against the capital club, Pinturrichio kept his beloved Signora on track for their first Scudetto since the summer of Calciopoli where deserters searched for fortune elsewhere and Alex, instead, looked into his heart.

Del Piero’s future was already a topic of discussion before he this week added to his recent strikes against Milan in the Coppa Italia and Inter in the championship. Unconfirmed reports that the Bianconeri were allegedly monitoring the contract situations of Alessandro Nesta and Clarence Seedorf led to more than one questioning why the club would hire one of the Milan duo and simultaneously fire their living legend.

With all due respect to Nesta and Seedorf, who remain exceptional players and professionals, it would be inconceivable for the Turin giants to put their faith in any of the two 36-year-olds during the same summer in which a 37-year-old Del Piero would be shown the door. Alex, as he has demonstrated in recent weeks, can still cut it at the highest level – even if only on a part-time basis.

Juventus, it seems, have other ideas. The calls for the club to make a U-turn and confirm him for next season are getting louder, but those at Vinovo are evidently not listening. While we can say with some certainty that the outfit were mistaken in the way that last October they announced the No 10’s departure, we can’t be so decisive in deeming their apparently irreversible decision as the wrong one.

Before anyone can make a judgement on that, we all, Juventini and none, would require an explanation from those at Juve HQ. What is necessary is a clear and concise statement from President Andrea Agnelli and director general Beppe Marotta on exactly why there would be no room for such a player in a squad who next season will be competing for the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and – most significantly of all – the Champions League.

Del Piero is clearly no longer the front line future of Juventus, his 450 minutes of Serie A action this season, which have included just three starts, underlines that fact. But as the campaign has illustrated, they still need his class – even if that is just for one per cent of the time.

great article