18th
In the morning the players trained again at the Vinovo training base, where physical tests were arranged for each player and their scores were tracked. The coach used these scores to allocate the players on different teams within their age range. While the players were completing their tests, some parents went to visit the nearby town of Pinerolo.
Back to the hotel after lunch, in the afternoon at the Vinovo training base, the parents watched their children and other Juventus academy teams play against the Turin teams. The match was very intense. Although we lost all the matches, we learned the difference between the professional team and Juve, the players realized that they need to train harder. Having the opportunity to participate in matches of higher quality and intensity will improve our players’ overall physical fitness, individual skills and team coordination.
Juve Shanghai players have been recognized by the on-site coach. One of the players of the U12 Juve team that played against our Di Maria team is the son of the head coach of Juventus Adult team, Allegri. The parents and children at the scene had the opportunity to take a photo with Allegri.
The most interesting thing is that the U12 team is also named Di Maria in Shanghai. The team has won almost every game it has played in Shanghai.
19th
In the morning the players went to Cantalupa to train and reflect on the shortcomings of the previous day's game. In the afternoon, Di Maria played a match against a local team of the same age group. In the second period, the team scored a 1-1 draw from 1-0 down. The third period was a climax, and Juve's Russian goalkeeper made some great saves
Another goal to finish the game 2-1. Fantastic players! The parents of the opposing team showed their professionalism. Congratulations to our players for winning the game. The three games ended at 8:30pm. Everyone took the bus back to the hotel and spirits were high despite their tiredness.
In the evening, we arranged a surprise birthday cake for Jeremy, a player from Shanghai, to celebrate his 13th birthday. Jeremy also scored a valuable goal for his birthday. Players from different countries sang him different birthday songs.
