Gianluca Vialli on his 'defining moment' and how winning Champions League would cap 'extraordinary' journey for Juventus
Saturday 6 June 2015 13:30, UK
Gianluca Vialli will never forget the night back in 1996 when, overcome with emotion, he nearly fainted on the pitch.
His Juventus team-mate, Fabrizio Ravenelli, had opened the scoring at the Stadio Olimpico but Jari Litmanen hit back for Ajax, the game deadlocked.
Extra-time came, then penalties. But while full-back Soony Silooy saw his spot-kick saved, Vladimir Jugovic found the bottom corner.
Juve - a dominant force in Italian football but underdogs against a side envied across the globe - were the champions of Europe.
"I knew that was going to be the last chance to play in the Champions League final - I was desperate to win, I put a lot of pressure on myself," Vialli, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports ahead of Saturday's showpiece, said.
"Finally I got hold of that cup - it was the defining moment of my career. I got really emotional and nearly fainted on the pitch."
The triumph - 11 years after one rendered hollow by the Heysel disaster - remains Juve's last in Europe and while their former captain admits it will feel strange to see the current crop replicate his peers' achievement, he believes victory over a widely-tipped Barcelona on Saturday would cap an "extraordinary" journey.
"Italian football lost credibility because of the match-fixing scandals - the best footballers didn't want to come," Vialli added.
"There are signs that we are awakening.
"Lifting the Champions League trophy would be something Juventus deserve. It's been tough in the last 10 years but they've worked really hard.
"Winning four championships is an amazing achievement so if they end up winning the cup, too, they can consider themselves extraordinary."
Watch the full interview with former Juventus captain Gianluca Vialli - also available On Demand - and hear from a host of other big names during Sky Sports' Champions League final build-up from 6pm on Sky Sports 1HD and Sky Sports 5HD.
