ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO AND DAVID TREZEGUET: THE MOST PROLIFIC STRIKE DUO IN JUVENTUS HISTORY

With 27 minutes on the clock and the game scoreless, the calm before the storm arrived at the San Siro. Alessandro Del Piero was up against Gennaro Gattuso, the Milan enforcer who was determined to keep him as far away from goal as possible. Del Piero danced inside and out, looking for the right opportunity, then jinked onto his left foot and directed a cross at David Trezeguet.

Gattuso lunged desperately as the attempted pass collided with his leg, sending the ball soaring into the air. Del Piero swiveled his body and arched an overhead kick into the penalty area, where Trezeguet had wriggled into space after perfectly timing his move. The Frenchman jumped in front of Dida in the Rossoneri goal and headed home off the post. Trezeguet slid onto his knees and went towards his striking partner in joy. Del Piero engulfed him as the Bianconeri tifosi realized the title was on its way back to Turin.

The Scudetto was removed from Juventus a year later, as the actual magnitude of Calciopoli shook Italian football to its core. A golden age of Italian football had come to an end, with Juventus relegated to Serie B as part of the FIGC's punishment, and an expected fire sale commenced. Five major players remained in black and white stripes after the dust settled. Pavel Nedvd, Gianluigi Buffon, Mauro Camoranesi, Alessandro Del Piero, and David Trezeguet were known as the Five Samurai by the ultras of the Curva Scirea. Everyone stayed, determined to assist the Bianconeri reclaim their previous grandeur.

Del Piero was relieved when coach Fabio Capello departed Juventus for a return to Real Madrid; the future England manager had kept the fans' favorite on the bench an unthinkable 26 times the previous season. Reinstated and able to revive his partnership with Trezeguet, the two would guarantee Turin's spell in Serie B was brief, with a quick return to Italy's top table.

Trezeguet's first encounter to Italian football had been everything but subtle. His golden goal in extra time in the Euro 2000 final in Rotterdam completed a successful two-year period for Les Bleus, who added the European title to their World Cup victory in 1998. Trezegol, as he was affectionately known, had already sealed a move to Turin before the tournament began and came to leave a lasting impression on Italian football long before setting foot in the country.

David Trezeguet was born in the French city of Rouen but reared in Buenos Aires. His father, Jorge, was born in Argentina and worked as a defender for various clubs in the country's capital. Trezeguet Sr. was banned in 1974 after failing a drug test, and despite being pardoned, his career never returned. Fortunately for David, his father's connections in the football world continued to open doors for him, and he signed for Club Atlético Platense when he was only eight years old.

Trezeguet's ability to strike the ball well with both feet was observed from an early age, but it wasn't until his return to France in 1995, with a transfer to Monaco and a subsequent link-up with compatriot Thierry Henry, that his true skills emerged.

Carlo Ancelotti later paid £20 million to lure Trezeguet to the Stadio delle Alpi, where he joined French luminaries Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane in wearing the black and white stripes of La Vecchia Signora. However, things did not go as planned at first, as his new coach preferred the combo of Filippo Inzaghi and Del Piero, relegating Trezeguet to the sideline.

Despite his limited playing time, the Frenchman took use of his opportunities and scored 15 goals in his rookie season. When Ancelotti left for Milan, his replacement, Marcello Lippi, recognized Trezeguet's value to the team. Trezegol took over for Inzaghi, and one of the greatest Serie A strike pairings was established.

Despite a difficult start with Padova, where he only scored one goal in his first full season, Juventus came knocking. Giampiero Boniperti, president and La Vecchia Signora icon, sealed the deal by taking the 18-year-old on a tour of the stadium and trophy cabinet. And thus began the guy known as Pinturicchio's 19-year love affair with the Turin side.

Due of Trezegol's steady progression, Inzaghi became surplus to needs. Trezeguet arrived in Italy just like he did in France, unable to communicate in the language and relying on his football to do so. The 2001/02 season was his best in the black and white, with a brace in the first game and a hat-trick against Brescia. Trezeguet's ability to score with either his foot or his head was a unique commodity that the Bianconeri fans did not fully comprehend. The Curva Scirea erupted with groans as fans questioned whether Trezeguet's presence was impeding the team's style of play, perceiving a more pragmatic approach when he was on the field.

Del Piero had a memorable season as well, scoring his 100th goal for Juventus as the Scudetto came down to a three-way struggle on the final day. Inter lead second-placed Juventus by six points entering into the season's final stretch. By the time the final round of games began, the margin had been reduced to one point, with Roma in third a point ahead.

All three potential champions were away from home, but Juve kept their end of the bargain by racing into a two-goal lead early on at Udinese, thanks to goals from Trezeguet and Del Piero.

Despite this setback, the duo's collaboration flourished. Trezeguet's contract was extended, while Del Piero cemented his place in the Bianconeri's hearts by coming off the bench to score a wonderful chip against Bari only four days after his father's funeral. Even relegation in the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal couldn't break them apart; their return to Serie A in 2008 energized the combination even more, with both vying for the Capocannoniere.

Their association at Juventus lasted ten glorious years and gave the Turin club much trophy, but with the continuous proviso of heartbreak in Europe. With their joint 41 goals in 2008, they broke Omar Svori and John Charles' goal record in a season, ensuring they would go down as one of the most potent strike duos in world football history.