Fabio Cannavaro has left Spanish giants Real Madrid to return home to Italy and play for his old side, Juventus. The Italian club has signed a one year contract for the side he left in 2006, after Juve were relegated automatically to the second division of Italian football.
This earnt him a massive amount of criticism at the time for effectively jumping ship on a team he was meant to completely represent. However, hopefully these feelings can be eradicated by the fact he has returned and will most likely retire at the club where he played his best football.
The move probably comes at the right time for both teams as well. Madrid will be looking to make big changes this summer and as Cannavaro is getting on in age, a valuable space in the playing squad has been created. Juve have just sacked their manager and look like they will be facing Champions League qualifiers in August.
The Italian side probably needed a lift after all of the negative news that has been coming out of the club over the last week and this could well be the signing that ignites inspiration from within. Whatever has happened in his absence, Cannavaro will want to walk straight back into Juventus and put things straight.
His return carries with it an additional pressure. Due to the way Cannavaro actually left the club, a lot of people will be looking in his direction when it comes to big games. Fans may think this is virtually his club but whether he still has the hunger and desire is questionable.
Speaking in the Italian media, Cannavaro seems relatively happy. He said: “I am happy to be back in Turin and to have the opportunity to again wear the black and white jersey.”
In his short spell at Madrid a lot of Cannavaro’s frailties were exposed. It was quite clear that he was unable to cope with the technical and high paced football, exposed even further by Liverpool when Madrid lost 4-1 at Anfield. The much more relaxed style of the Italian game should suit him better, after all this is where he was brought up and learnt his art.
The decision may well further his career by a couple of seasons. The lack of physicality in Italian football is one of the main reasons Paolo Maldini has probably been able to play for so long. If it were another highly rated and fast paced European league he had moved to then his body would have told him a lot more quickly that it was time to pack it in.
However, for every Juve supporter across Europe, for now they should rejoice in this news. It is a small positive to a club that has been struggling to make strides this season and a club that has all too often under achieved. Although Cannavaro is clearly not as good as he once was, there can be no doubt around the fact that he will kick the club into shape.
This earnt him a massive amount of criticism at the time for effectively jumping ship on a team he was meant to completely represent. However, hopefully these feelings can be eradicated by the fact he has returned and will most likely retire at the club where he played his best football.
The move probably comes at the right time for both teams as well. Madrid will be looking to make big changes this summer and as Cannavaro is getting on in age, a valuable space in the playing squad has been created. Juve have just sacked their manager and look like they will be facing Champions League qualifiers in August.
The Italian side probably needed a lift after all of the negative news that has been coming out of the club over the last week and this could well be the signing that ignites inspiration from within. Whatever has happened in his absence, Cannavaro will want to walk straight back into Juventus and put things straight.
His return carries with it an additional pressure. Due to the way Cannavaro actually left the club, a lot of people will be looking in his direction when it comes to big games. Fans may think this is virtually his club but whether he still has the hunger and desire is questionable.
Speaking in the Italian media, Cannavaro seems relatively happy. He said: “I am happy to be back in Turin and to have the opportunity to again wear the black and white jersey.”
In his short spell at Madrid a lot of Cannavaro’s frailties were exposed. It was quite clear that he was unable to cope with the technical and high paced football, exposed even further by Liverpool when Madrid lost 4-1 at Anfield. The much more relaxed style of the Italian game should suit him better, after all this is where he was brought up and learnt his art.
The decision may well further his career by a couple of seasons. The lack of physicality in Italian football is one of the main reasons Paolo Maldini has probably been able to play for so long. If it were another highly rated and fast paced European league he had moved to then his body would have told him a lot more quickly that it was time to pack it in.
However, for every Juve supporter across Europe, for now they should rejoice in this news. It is a small positive to a club that has been struggling to make strides this season and a club that has all too often under achieved. Although Cannavaro is clearly not as good as he once was, there can be no doubt around the fact that he will kick the club into shape.
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