Del Piero’s Gianni Agnelli message

Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has remembered Gianni Agnelli on the tenth anniversary of his death.

Agnelli, a legend in Turin, nicknamed the No 10 ‘Pinturicchio’ a few years after his 1993 arrival from Padova.

“Ten years have passed but it seems to be much less,” Del Piero, now playing his football with Sydney, wrote on alessandrodelpiero.com.

“Probably because for me, l'Avvocato is still a very close memory, it's like I had just put down that phone that was ringing so early in the morning and I just faked being awake, rubbing my eyes.

“Instead it's been already ten years. But when people are so much in your heart and soul, they actually never leave you. But still I miss him.

“I was lucky and honoured to walk a part of my way together with him and I miss his elegance, his style, his passion and his taste for all the fine things both in private and public life.

“I miss his love for sport, football, his Juventus, his Ferrari, his yachts and his Turin. He is missed by Juventus supporters and Italians.

“He gave me a nickname that would stay with me for years. It was a moment of, let's call it a handover with Roberto Baggio.

“L’Avvocato, who was a great expert of art, called Baggio ‘Raffaello’ and compared me to ‘Pinturicchio’. At the beginning I remained rather puzzled...I didn't know who Pinturicchio was.

“Then I found out that he was a great artist. I love this definition, because I know what l’Avvocato meant and it reminds me of a beautiful period of my career, the first exciting years with the Juventus.

“When I look back now, being far away and not in black and white anymore, I appreciate even more the fortune I had during my almost twenty years in Turin.

“I met two people that for me symbolise Juventus – Giampiero Boniperti who took me from Padova and l’Avvocato who honoured me with his trust and consideration.

“These days I've thought a lot about what he would have told me today. I'm quite sure he'd call me to advise where to go and what to see in Sydney.

“He knew well all the places in the world, he loved the beauty of different places. His call would probably come at six in the morning. But this time, in Sydney, I would have been really awake...”