Background
Juventus's previous permanent home ground, the Stadio delle Alpi, was completed in 1990 to host matches for the 1990 World Cup. The club's move from their previous ancestral home, the Stadio Comunale, to the Stadio Delle Alpi was controversial. The new stadium was built at a great expense, was relatively less accessible, and had poor sightlines due to the athletics track. Despite Juventus being the best-supported team in Italy (with the highest television subscribers and away section attendances), attendance at the Stadio Delle Alpi was dismal. Average attendance was only a third of the stadium's 67,000 capacity. The club bought the stadium from the local council in 2003, a decision which was popular with fans.
Juventus moved out of the unpopular stadium in 2006 and began plans to build a more intimate and atmospheric venue. During that period, they played their matches at the newly-renovated Stadio Olimpico, which was also unpopular due to its low capacity.
In November 2008, the club unveiled plans for a new 41,000-seater stadium on the site of the Stadio Delle Alpi. The new stadium, built at a cost of €100 million (£90 million), features modern executive boxes, among other new developments. The completion of Juventus Stadium made Juventus the only Serie A club to build and own their stadium at the time. Then-club president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli described the stadium as "a source of great pride."
The opening ceremony of the stadium was held on 8 September 2011, with an historical exhibition match against Notts County. The game ended 1-1 with goals from Luca Toni and Lee Hughes coming in the second half. In return, Notts County have extended an invitation to Juventus for a return match at Meadow Lane in 2012 to celebrate County's 150th anniversary. The choice of opposition is due to Juve's historical links with Notts County as their now-iconic black and white stripes were inspired by County's jersey colours.
The highest attendance at the stadium is 40,944. It was the last fixture of the season on 13 May 2012 against Atalanta. Juventus won the game 3-1.
Read more about this topic: Juventus Stadium
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