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Remembering Amauri, as One of Juventus’ Worst Signings Makes NASL Switch
- Updated: August 16, 2016
The long and storied history of Juventus is littered with great strikers, from John Charles and Omar Sivori in the 1960s through to 1996 UEFA Champions League winners Luca Vialli and Fabrizio Ravanelli.
In more recent times, the likes of Carlos Tevez and Paulo Dybala have continued that rich legacy, while the Calciopoli scandal cemented the place of two iconic goalscorers in the hearts of the Bianconeri fans.
The fallout of the events of summer 2006 resonated deeply with Juve supporters, with a number of players—like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lilian Thuram—becoming hate figures in Turin after opting to leave the Old Lady.
Gianluca Vialli and Alessandro Del Piero celebrate for Juventus, 1995. pic.twitter.com/0clwbo8ij7
— 90s Football (@90sfootball) August 8, 2016
Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet stayed, netting goals galore in Serie B and helping the club return to the top flight just 12 months later despite a points penalty. Perhaps even more surprising was their performance in 2007/08, scoring 44 goals between them and helping Juve secure a third-place finish.
That saw them earn a Champions League berth, prompting sporting director Alessio Secco to seek attacking reinforcements. With Del Piero and Trezeguet heading toward the twilight of their careers and extra games to share around, the official felt that—in order to contend for silverware—his team needed a new star striker.
Instead he paid €22.8 million for Amauri.
Yes, with Juventus still feeling the financial implications of a year outside the top flight and another without European football, Secco gambled massively on a player who at that time had scored in double figures just twice in his career.
That the Brazilian-born forward had just enjoyed his best-ever season by scoring 15 times for Palermo highlights just how poor the director’s choice was. Already 28 years old when he joined the Bianconeri, Amauri had enjoyed a thoroughly nomadic journey before landing with the Sicilian club.
It began when his local side, Santa Catarina Clube, travelled to Italy for the prestigious Viareggio Tournament, where some eye-catching displays prompted scouts from Swiss club Bellinzona to snap him up.
He bounced around a number of sides over the next four seasons, netting a grand total of six goals. Amauri then joined Chievo in 2003, enjoying something of a breakout campaign in 2005-06 to net 14 times in all competitions which saw Palermo hand the Veronese side €7 million.
His debut campaign was limited by injury, but he would then bag that aforementioned 15-goal haul in 2007-08, prompting Juventus and Secco to make their expensive move, as Lorenzo Vicini of fan site Ultra Palermo explained:
Amauri’s sale to Juventus allowed Palermo to earn a profit of €14 million as well as bringing in another eventual Italian international in Antonio Nocerino …
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