The Old Lady of Italian football were banished to the second tier for their part in the match-fixing scandal.


A whole host of big names jumped ship, including Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Patrick Vieira, but Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon, David Trezeguet and Del Piero opted to remain loyal to the Turin giants.


Juve face no easy task to bounce back, as they start the campaign 17 points adrift, and Del Piero feels there is a change in thinking at the club.


"It has been devastating with all that this club represents," he said in an interview with The Times. "But now there is a different spirit and different way of thinking. It's why I stayed.


"It is going to be hard to overcome the hurdle, but this is an adventure. It is my year abroad."


Del Piero has played for the club for over a decade and it is this bond which prompted him to remain loyal - even though Noel Gallagher tried to lure him to Manchester City.


"I've been here 14 years and have a strong bond," he said. "I owed it to the Agnellis [the owners]. I couldn't leave the Old Lady like this.


"Noel Gallagher did ask me to go to Manchester because we're friends through music. I dee-jay and we have the same record label. He gave me my gold disc and came to the World Cup semi-final. He's my lucky mascot."


Del Piero helped Italy lift the World Cup and his focus is now on fighting for the cause at the Stadio Delle Alpi.


"With the World Cup I have now won almost everything. Others are younger and left for medals. It will be hard but winning the league is still our objective."