Juventus Football Club is delighted to announce a new regional partnership deal with the Live Fantasy Sport Game, Ballr, which becomes the Bianconeri’s Official Regional Partner in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Juventus, which is fully immersed in its internationalisation process, has decided to combine its image with that of a global brand that has a major presence in Asia Pacific, an area of key strategic importance.

And so, with the club’s commitment to bringing its global supporters closer to the black and white action than ever before, Giorgio Ricci, Co-Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Global Partnerships, is looking forward to developing this new partnership.

He said: “This regional partnership with Ballr is the latest proof of Juventus’ growth in high potential markets and demonstrates how the Bianconeri image and experience-centred assets can be attractive to supporters in Asia.”

Ballr CEO Sam Jones added: “Our mission at Ballr is to connect the world during live sports events. Serie A remains one of the most watched leagues in world football. We are thrilled to have joined forces with Juventus. Not only are Juve one of the top clubs on the planet, they have been crowned Italian champions for the last five years running and are the pre-eminent brand in Italian sport.”

The Live Fantasy Sport Game allows users to connect and communicate in real time while sporting events are taking place. Competitors choose a player who can earn them points depending on their performance levels, and also have the option to change player every five minutes.

Users compete among themselves to win incredible black and white prizes including a once in a lifetime experience at Juventus Stadium.

The close bond between the Bianconeri and East Asia is nothing new. Juventus have contested many matches in the region including the 2012 and 2015 Italian Super Cups in China, pre-season friendlies in Singapore (2014) and Hong Kong (2016), and friendly matches involving the club’s Legends squad in Shanghai and Japan in March and November 2016 respectively.

Set up an account at Ballr. 

The date is Sunday 2 March 1947 and as Juventus prepare to face Milan at Turin’s Stadio Comunale, something very special is about to happen to the future of the club.

For, featuring on the team sheet for the first time was a 19 year-old by the name of Giampiero Boniperti. The Bianconeri would go on to lose on the day but victory would forever be associated with the name of the youngster from that afternoon onwards for the half-century that ensued.

Boniperti established himself the following season, scoring 27 times on the way to winning the Serie A golden boot.

Three years later, he was lifting the first of five Scudetto titles in 1950, lighting up the Italian game throughout the decade as part of one of the deadliest striking trios the peninsular has ever seen, lining up alongside John Charles and Omar Sivori.

The Novara-born winger cum centre forward would end his playing career in 1971 with 179 goals to his name, a club record that would stand for just under 40 years, claimed eventually by Alessandro Del Piero.

But that was just the beginning. Taking the reins of the club as president in 1981, nine further Italian championships and every single international honour going were added to the club’s trophy cabinet, with his famous mantra following him from the pitch to the boardroom.

He remained close to the club after his unforgettable association with the Old Lady, joining Del Piero on the pitch for an unforgettable Juventus Stadium inauguration on 8 September 2011 where he would remind the 40,000 Bianconeri supporters present that “Winning is not important, but it is the only thing that matters.”

With five consecutive Scudetto titles in the cabinet and 70 years on from his debut as a player, it is safe to say that Giampiero’s winning legacy burns brighter than ever before.

Empoli & Napoli: A key week in our campaign

“It was great to play in both matches last week. I’m always looking to give my all and whenever I’m out on the field I try to protect the team in the best possible way. No doubt, the last two games were very important in the context of the season as a whole.

“Whilst against Empoli we managed to get our noses in front earlier on, last night against Napoli we had to dig deep to come back from 1-0 down at half-time.

“That’s not something that happens very often to Juventus, so credit must go to the whole squad because to fight back from behind against a top team such as Napoli and play the kind of football we did in the second half was a truly positive sign and the latest proof that we’re focused on going all the way on three fronts this season.”

Always keen to be a keeper!

“In years gone by it wasn’t common to see Brazilian goalkeepers playing in Europe, but this is now becoming a far more popular position for people across the country.

“In my case, my father played in goal and so when I was a kid, like so many children who aspire to be like their dad, I also wanted to be a keeper. When we were picking the teams, I’d always shout “I’m ready! I’ll play in goal!”

Positive energy essential

“We’ve so many different nationalities in our side and it’s really important to have a group like ours in which everyone gets on so well with one another. We like to have a laugh and a joke.

“It’s crucial to create this positive energy in the squad given that we’re working together day in and day out. I believe that if we’re happy while we train, we’re more likely to improve our game.”

Keeping our heads under pressure

“In my opinion, at this stage of the season it’s our strength of character that will count for most. Physically speaking, we’re in very good shape. We’ve almost a whole year’s work behind us. Therefore, it’s more a case of how we handle the mental aspect of our game that will impact on this latter part of the campaign.”

He may have scored two in our 3-1 first-leg victory against Napoli but Paulo Dybala expects Maurizio Sarri’s side to pose Juventus a real threat in the return leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.

The Argentine got the ball rolling for the Bianconeri – albeit 45 minutes late – as he converted from the spot at the start of the second half, before firing home again from 12 yards after Gonzalo Higuain’s strike.

“It was a tricky game, especially in the opening 45 minutes,” Dybala conceded. “The scoreline looks good now but we mustn’t underestimate Napoli because they’re sure to make it tough for us at their place in the return leg.

“We spoke together at half time when we were a goal down then came back out and instantly put into practice what we’d discussed in the dressing room.”

What was the secret to the turnaround? “We changed attitude. We went out there with a different mindset and were more aggressive. Getting the first goal straight after the restart helped too.”

Giorgio Chiellini pinpointed a change in attitude as the catalyst behind Juventus’ second-half comeback to beat Napoli 3-1 at Juventus Stadium on Tuesday night.

“Initially we couldn’t get out because Napoli were pressing very well, but after the break we changed our mindset rather than our playing system,” said Chiellini.

“We have a series of big matches coming up and our attitude needs to change. It’s important that we just focus on playing and correcting the mistakes we made tonight – it was us giving away possession that led to their goal. We would have preferred to go to Naples with a 3-0 lead. We’ll have to work hard,” added the Italian defender.

Chiellini also called on his team-mates to stay focused as the season reaches a climax.

“There’s still a long way to go – that goes for the Champions League too,” said the Italy defender. “We did very well in Porto, but how our season goes from now depends on our form and that of our opponents. We’ll give everything we’ve got.

“The secret is to keep it tight – that helps the midfielders because the distance between the players is reduced and we’re able to break at speed.”