Italian football’s Old Lady ended up looking an awful lot like the Roman goddess Fortuna – the original Lady Luck

Juventus’s first home game of the new season had already kicked off by the time Giorgio Chiellini arrived behind the dugouts at the Allianz Stadium. He raised an arm to acknowledge supporters singing his name, but needed both hands on his crutches as he lowered himself into his seat, trying not to place too much weight on a heavily strapped right knee.

Chiellini had ruptured his cruciate ligament in training one day before. A painful personal setback, and a potential catastrophe for his team. The Juventus captain is expected to be out of action for at least the next five months. For a 35-year-old footballer, such injuries can curtail a career.