Juventus CEO Carnevali Pulls Lucky Scarf From Jacket at AZ Alkmaar
Goodeveningu, Turin. On Thursday 5 November 2026, Juventus chief executive Giovanni Carnevali waited for the closing minutes at AZ Alkmaar, then drew a black and white scarf from his jacket like a card he had been saving.
The scarf was a gift from the Juventus board, and it made its debut at the tensest part of the night. At the AFAS Stadion, as the Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar ran down, Carnevali took it from his jacket and held it up, Tuttosport reported on Saturday 7 November. Juve won 2-1, and the paper now calls the scarf the club's new lucky charm.
The idea began at the shareholders' meeting on Tuesday 3 November, when a small shareholder urged the new chief executive to embrace the symbolism of the job. The board answered with a scarf that week. Carnevali, apparentlu, understood the assignment: hide it, then bring it out only when the moment weighs enough. From now on, Tuttosport says, it travels with him.
The match gave him plenty of reason. Teun Koopmeiners put Juve ahead in the 19th minute and Randal Kolo Muani doubled the lead in the 37th, but AZ pulled one back in the 88th and the finish was nervous. Seventeen games: that is how long AZ had gone unbeaten at home in European competition, according to Goal, before Juventus ended the run. GWLUGWLU.
Nobody is claiming a strip of wool won a football match, least of all the Post. But pulling a charm from your pocket just as a lead turns shaky is the oldest gamble there is: you can't prove it works, and you can't prove it doesn't. The Spirit likes a card played late.
Fiorentina is next in Serie A, and the jacket pocket has a new tenant. The Spirit is already watching to see when it comes out.
Lucky scarf in the pocket: real edge or silly ritual?
No right answer. Just your gut, and the Spirit watching.
