Juventus pay respects with touching Manninger tribute before Bologna match

TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 19: Former footballers Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon carry a wreath for the late Alex Manninger prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Allianz Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Buffon in tears as Juventus pay tribute to Manninger

Before kick-off, Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, former teammates who knew Manninger as a colleague and a friend, carried a floral wreath onto the pitch beneath the home curve, bearing the words “Ciao Alex.”

The cameras caught Buffon visibly moved, his composure tested by the weight of the occasion. The former Italy captain had already expressed his grief publicly on social media in the immediate aftermath of the accident.

The stadium announcer then read a tribute that captured the essence of what Manninger meant to the club.

“Alex wore our shirt. He was a loyal man, an exemplary teammate, a person of enormous worth. He was one of the protagonists of a group that, step by step, returned to winning. We will never forget Alex, you will always be with us, in our home.”

A minute of silence followed. The football, for a moment, could wait.