But Wednesday's all-Italian Champions League final against AC Milan offers him the perfect chance to show the world exactly why he has been the darling of the Delle Alpi crowd for a decade.

Del Piero won the Champions League early in his career as part of the Juve team which beat Ajax in 1996 but a year later he had to start on the bench against Borussia Dortmund.

Although Del Piero went on to score in the defeat to the Germans he was disappointed that coach Marcello Lippi had opted for Croat Alen Boksic and Christian Vieri as his twin strikers to start the final.

Despite consistent success in Serie A, a year later there was more delusion as Juve lost again in the final, this time to Real Madrid, and Del Piero was badly short of form in the 1998 World Cup finals in France.

He again failed to show his true face in Euro 2000 when, after struggling to win a regular starting place in the Italy side, he missed two good chances as Dino Zoff's side lost in the final to France.

Last year's World Cup in Japan and South Korea was little better and some wondered whether the serious injury Del Piero suffered in late 1998 had killed off the combination of pace and skill which had marked his emergence.

This season though, despite another injury setback, Del Piero has put all those doubts aside with some outstanding performances in Europe, capped by his superb strike against Real Madrid in the semi-final, second-leg.

"I have got over my injury and the post-injury period is behind me. I feel good, I feel on the top of my form," Del Piero said during training ahead of the final.

The striker has been part of both coach Lippi's spells in Turin since joining the club from Padova in 1993 and this year helped the club to win their fifth title since he arrived.

"I have developed a lot in my time with Juventus and together we have won a lot of trophies over the years but we have not got used to winning," said the forward.

SUCCESSFUL COMBINATION

Del Piero has struck up a good partnership with French striker David Trezeguet -- a combination that has delivered two successive league 'scudetto' wins for the club.

But the man who has helped to create so many chances for the pair, Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, will be missing for Wednesday's final.

Del Piero though is confident that Juve have the strength in depth to cope with the loss of the dynamic Czech.

"Juve is not a team of 11 players, we have a squad full of players of the highest level who have been rotated in Serie A and the Champions League. I hope we can show that we can perform and win without him," said Del Piero.

"It is going to be a fascinating final, combative but also attractive. I think it will be a spectacular game.

"Maybe there is a bit of excitement missing because it will be two teams who know each other well in every facet but that just makes it harder though. This game is a clear sign of the return of Italian football," he added.

Juve's win denied Real Madrid another final appearance and some observers feel the absence of the attack-minded Spaniards might lead to a tight and cautious final but Del Piero says Juve and Milan have a good record when it comes to providing memorable meetings.

"Against Milan in the league we have always produced entertaining matches -- spectacular battles.

"It will be a game between two teams who will tactically make the most of their strengths but at the same time they can count on class players who can provide the winning blow at any time in the game," he said.

Adored by his own fans, Del Piero comes in for plenty of stick from opposition supporters who target him as the symbol of the country's most successful club.

Not that the striker is concerned by the abuse. "That is the destiny of those who win. They whistle you because they fear you. It is worse however if you are ignored".