It was the year 2012, the Juventus – fresh from two disastrous years – was the protagonist of a grand inauguration of his new stadium: lo Juventus Stadium, later renamed as Allianz Stadium after the commercial agreement with Allianz. In that season there were two sponsors on the shirt: Betclic and Balocco. The brand known for live betting and sports betting appeared on the home kit, while the Italian company – known for the production of sweets and biscuits – decided to appear on the away shirt. In this case the kit away was at the center of a heated discussion among the fan communities: the shirt was pink and the color of the brand was totally red above the star that covered most of the uniform. Some also took a dig at Nike Football. “What is it?! Hello Kitty's uniform?!”, said an avid Juventus supporter on the web. The opinion was also largely shared by the organized supporters who, although faithful to the history of the team, indicated to the American giant and the club to change the “register” in the choice of the design of the uniforms. To better understand the controversial link between Juventus and its uniforms we need to take a step back to 2011.
Juventus, in the summer of 2010, is preparing for the season which then sees the coach as the protagonist – in a negative way – Luigi del Neri. The team finished in seventh place in the first year of Andrea Agnelli's presidency. On the pitch, the away kit is highlighted during some home and away matches. The reason? It is a white uniform enriched by the vertical tricolor in the center. Balocco is always the main sponsor. For the occasion, rivals Inter and Milan did not shy away from provoking the Juventus fans.“The tricolor? You can only draw it! Because now you can't win it anymore”, said the Nerazzurri fans. Milan, with its support, responded with “You are in the land of “Toys”, you can no longer compete!”. The shirt was a real flop due to the taunts of rivals and the proceeds obtained. But, if we always link the discussion of colors and brands, we must refer to the 2008-2009 season when Juve was courageous in presenting a totally unusual kit.
In 2008, Juventus always showed the brand as the main sponsor on their shirts“New Holland“. The company, known for the production of tractors and other agricultural machinery, appeared on the club's away kit. The colour? A gold that can be associated – in a certain sense – with the model of the Nike Tiempo entirely colored in black, gold and white. The fans, even in this specific situation, said that Nike's choice was totally inappropriate, far from tradition. Despite this, Juve played matches that fans still remember like the one at the Bernabeu in Madrid. Alex Del Piero (author of a brace) scores a textbook free kick, with the crowd You meringues who applauds “Pinturicchio”. Ranieri grants him “catwalk”, with Juve smiling given the prestigious success in Europe. The away kit is remembered for this match, not for its beauty.
