Alex Sandro was in tears as he waved goodbye to Juventus after a record-equalling 327 appearances, even scoring a rare goal. ‘I never cried so much in my life.’
The Brazilian will be out of contract from June 30 and will not renew, so was given a warm send-off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin.
He was in the starting XI for the 2-0 victory over Monza and even scored a rare goal, his first in three years, by nodding in the Nicolò Fagioli corner kick.
His last goals were in the Coppa Italia Final in 2022 and the Champions League group phase against Malmoe, but he hadn’t found the net in Serie A since a brace with Parma on April 21, 2021.
Alex Sandro in tears
“It was emotional for me, I have never cried so much in my life,” Alex Sandro told DAZN.
“That goes for all week, not just today. It has been such a wonderful journey, I thank the fans, the city, all of Italy really, the teammates from my first year to today.
“I am proud of myself and what I achieved. Over the last few days, I told everyone that the trophies and finals were lovely, but what I take away is the bond with the people. What I take away from Juve is love and respect.
“When people say that Juventus is a big family, this is what I feel. I thank the fans for welcoming me into their homes, their families, their lives. My heart will always be here, it will always have a space set aside for all the Bianconeri.”
Max Allegri was not here to share this moment with him, although Alex Sandro was always one of his favourites.
“It is impossible to talk about my career without mentioning Allegri. I learned so much from him and he had so much faith in me as a player and a person. He is a special person in my life.”
When the moment came for his substitution, Alex Sandro was visibly moved, saluting the crowd and hugging every teammate on his way off the field.
He then spent several minutes walking all the way around the pitch to thank the fans, receiving numerous scarves and flags to remember the occasion.
After the match, there was also a special jersey with his name and 327 on the back, as he equalled Pavel Nedved’s record for most appearances in the Juventus jersey for a foreign player.
His teammates then flung him in the air before he presented the Coppa Italia trophy to the crowd.
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