Those of you who saw the first leg of the recent Europa League fixture between Juventus and Fulham could be forgiven for wondering why Juve, one of Europe’s most prestigious clubs and the best supported in Italy were playing in such a small stadium.  The game was hosted at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino which has a capacity of just 27,944, hardly the surroundings one would expect for the grand ‘Old Lady’ of Turin. Juve were playing in this small stadium because the Stadio delle Apli, the clubs home since 1990 was closed in 2006 to be replaced by a new structure in 2011.   

The story of the delle Ailpi is a strange one.  In its twenty year existence Juventus experienced tremendous success, yet it never quite managed to capture the affection of the supporters and as a result its history is short, but interesting none the less. 

Meaning Stadium of the Alps in English the delle Alpi was constructed as venue for the 1990 World Cup. Situated on the outskirts of Turin the stadium had a capacity of 69,000 and was instantly recognisable due to the distinctive arches behind each goal. As well as Juve the delle Alpi also served as home for their city rivals Torino. The stadium was officially opened on the 31^stof May 1990 when a combined Juventus-Torino team defeated Porto 4-3. During the World Cup it would host the entertaining second round clash between Argentina and Brazil as well as England’s painful semi final defeat to Germany. 

While the structure would go on to prove controversial there could be few complaints about the quality of the football it showcased. Juventus would be a dominant force while inside the delle Alpi winning five Serie A titles as well as the Champions League and Uefa Cup.  Furthermore the Old Lady’s famous black and white shirts were donned by such stars as Zidane, Baggio, Del Peiro, Buffon and Nedved. Memorable matches include Juve’s 3-1 sweeping away of Real Madrid in 2003 and Manchester United’s remarkable 3-2 victory in 1999. Even perennial underachievers Torino would manage to gain some silverware, winning the 1993 Coppa Italia. All in all the delle Alpi saw more then it’s fair share of success, as during its 16 year lifespan Juventus and Torino combined would capture a phenomenal 16 trophies.  

Juve celebrate one of their many titles

Despite this on the pitch success the stadium was never accepted by the supporters of either club and this can be attributed to a number of factors. The grounds location on the outskirts of Turin was never popular with fans who preferred the central position of the club’s former home the Stadio Comunale. Furthermore while possessing an official capacity of 69,00 it soon became clear that the pitch wasn’t visible from many of the lower seats and as a result the record attendance was only ever 65,000. In addition to this the running track which surrounds the field of play had an adverse effect on any attempts to create an atmosphere with fans left a sizable distance away from the action. Ironically the track couldn’t even be used as the absence of a warm up track made it unsuitable for major athletics events. The delle Alpi was even held responsible for the weather, with the stadium’s design blamed for the howling mountain winds which whistled through the stands. 

These problems did little to attract spectators and consequently the delle Alpi was often soulless and devoid of atmosphere. This was certainly reflected in the average attendances. Over 16 seasons Juve averaged 41,446 and Torino  20,937 meaning that more often then not the stadium was rarely over 65% full. The most shocking example of this absence of supporters was a 2002 Coppa Italia fixture between Juve and Sampdoria, attended by a mere 237 people. These figures are put into perspective when one recalls the 1995 Uefa Cup semi final and final which Juve relocated to the San Siro in Milan. Both games attracted 85,000 spectators and while this is perhaps indicative of Juve’s mass support across Italy it was also a clear demonstration that something about the delle Alpi just wasn’t right.

The distance between the stands and pitch is clearly visable

Unloved and often half empty this much maligned stadium was put out it’s misery at the close of the 2005/06 season.  Perhaps fittingly this closure coincided with the calciopoli match fixing crisis which saw Juventus stripped of two titles and demoted to Serie B. Thus it would appear that Juve were not only leaving behind the delle Alpi but also the successes they had achieved there. The stadiums demolition was completed in February 2009 and new 40,000 seat venue will be constructed in its place.  The ground will host the Bianconeri alone with Torino taking up permanent residence at the Olimpico. Scheduled for completion in 2011 the new stadium is yet to have been named although it will definitely bear the title of a sponsor. 

Plans for the new stadium

The Stadio delle Apli is unlikely to be remembered fondly. Often cold, distant and soulless the stadium would be in use for a mere 16 years and few if any have mourned its passing. However Juventus supporters will recall the numerous trophies the Old Lady collected whilst playing there, a stark contrast to the clubs current predicament. When moving to their new home in 2011 the Bianconceri will pray that the problems which blighted the delle Alpi do not repeat themselves, yet they will be longing for the action on the pitch to do just that.