Del Piero continues love story with Juve

His signing of a two-year contract tying him to the Old Lady until 2010 made the front pages Wednesday, with pictures of the World Cup champion smiling after settling for 7.7 million euros (10.9 million dollars), about 20 per cent less than what he currently earns until June 2008.

 "That's it, I signed. I'm happy," he said as he left the club's headquarters in Turin late Tuesday night. "It certainly is a spectacular end of October. I made a crucial choice for my career. Juve gave me a lot and I want to keep winning here."

   Beside the contract renewal, the arrival of a first-born is about to brighten the autumn for Del Piero and his wife Sonia, helping the striker forget his lacklustre start to the season.

 With his 33rd birthday looming on November 9, a single goal scored in seven Serie A games and a poor showing with the national team in September, the footballer seemed to be in a rather weak position to negotiate a lucrative deal, which gave way to rumours of a possible transfer to a foreign club.

 His brother and agent Stefano, however, managed to convince club managers Jean-Claude Blanc and Alessio Secco to retire a clause that tied the pay for the 2009-10 season to the player's performance.

 Del Piero felt this was a lack of respect after 14 seasons, 525 games and 218 goals scored donning the black-white jersey. In the end he agreed to see his pay reduced from 4 to 3.7 million euros in what could well be the last season of his career.

 As the club's website wrote, the contract "provides for a further development of the potentiality of the image of the captain in areas and countries still unexplored."

   It looks like, due to his age, Del Piero's image will prevail over his footballing feats, which paves the road for a career as club manager once he retires from the pitch.

 Image has indeed been a plus in Del Piero's career since he arrived at Juve in 1993. His fairness toward team mates and opponents and the dedication to his club have made him one of Juve's most loved players ever.

 When sports judges found Juve guilty of match fixing in 2006 and relegated the club to the Serie B, the captain did not even think of leaving as many of his team mates did. He helped the team regain the top flight with 23 goals that beefed up his status of Juve's best- ever scorer.

 Del Piero boasts five Serie A titles, one Champions League, one Intercontinental Cup and the 2006 World Cup with Italy. But he has also gone through some dull periods that, especially under coach Fabio Capello, cost him lengthy exclusions from the first team.

 Even then he proved to be a serious professional, quietly accepting to sit along with the reserves and giving his maximum whenever he had a chance.

 New coach Claudio Ranieri has already sidelined him in a couple of occasions, which always makes the news because, as Juve fans say, "there is only one captain." By Alberto Cagliano, dpa