On this day in 1995, a 20-year-old Alessandro Del Piero scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus.
Only 16 teams competed in the competition in those days, and the Bianconeri were drawn in a tough group with Dortmund, Steaua Bucharest and Rangers.
The first game of the group brought a trip to Germany, and the hosts took the lead after just one minute through former Juventino Andreas Möller.
The equaliser came 13 minutes later though, Del Piero swinging in a cross from the left that was met by Michele Padovano.
On this day in 1995, a 20-year-old Alessandro Del Piero scored his first Champions League goal for Juventus.
Only 16 teams competed in the competition in those days, and the Bianconeri were drawn in a tough group with Dortmund, Steaua Bucharest and Rangers.
The first game of the group brought a trip to Germany, and the hosts took the lead after just one minute through former Juventino Andreas Möller.
The equaliser came 13 minutes later though, Del Piero swinging in a cross from the left that was met by Michele Padovano.
The striker was a long way out, but he managed to generate enough power in his header to beat Stefan Klos, the ball going in via the underside of the bar.
An assist was a good start to Del Piero’s Champions League debut, but things got even better on 37 minutes.
A Dortmund attack broke down in the Juve half, allowing future Fiorentina Coach Paulo Sousa to pick up the ball.
The Portuguese sent the ball down the channel with the outside of his right boot, and Del Piero raced after it.
The 20-year-old caught up with it on the left wing, and was immediately met by another Juventino, Jürgen Kohler.
The young Italian shifted the ball right, then back onto his left, before taking a much firmer touch onto his right foot.
That opened up enough space for the shot, and Del Piero unleashed what would soon become known as his signature, curling the ball into the far top corner with his right foot.
Pinturicchio did that so often throughout his career that it’s still referred to in Italy as the ‘Gol alla Del Piero’.
An Antonio Conte goal in the second half gave the Old Lady a 3-1 win, and Del Piero would go on to score in the next four Champions League matches in a row, finishing as the tournament’s second top-scorer as Juve lifted the trophy.
By the end of his career Del Piero had 42 Champions League goals, but few were as beautiful as his first.
#OnThisDay in 1995, Alessandro Del Piero scored THIS on his #UCL debut@juventusfc @delpieroale pic.twitter.com/F5AbAnhdqG
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 13, 2018