When the Lazio squad made their way to the Allianz Stadium, two profiles stood out from the rest. The first is the eagles manager Maurizio Sarri, and the second is star midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
For Juventus supporters, the first represents the past, while the second might just be the future of the club. After all, the Bianconeri’s interest in the Serbian is one of the worst kept secrets in Italian football.
Even though SMS didn’t exactly impress in yesterday’s outing, the Old Lady’s supporters were in a good mood while watching their club beat the Biancocelesti, and a section of them decided to applaud the player while making his way out of the pitch.
La Gazzetta dello Sport notes that Milinkovic-Savic didn’t react to the applauses – perhaps out of respect to Lazio fans – but he surely wasn’t displeased with the positive reception.
The source recalls another former Juventus star who joined the club after receiving applauds from the Allianz crowd.
Of course we’re talking about Cristiano Ronaldo who got a major ovation after scoring a stunning bicycle kick for Real Madrid in Gianluigi Buffon’s net.
On the other hand, Sarri remains a largely unpopular figure amongst Juventus supporters.
The former Napoli boss spent a solitary campaign in Turin, and although he guided the club towards its most recent Scudetto title, it was still considered to be an underwhelming campaign due to the uninspiring brand of football and early Champions League elimination.
The Tuscan also had some unpleasant remarks about the club before and after his time at Juventus, so a section of the fans returned the favor with mocking choirs.