Juventus captain Alessandro del Piero hailed the passion of Shamrock Rovers fans after their Europa League first-leg win in Dublin.
The Bianconeri won 2-0 in Dublin for the first leg of the qualifying round on Thursday thanks to an Amauri brace.
"It went exactly like we wanted it to go. The win in the first round against the Shamrock Rovers makes it easier to advance to the next round, we just need to remain focused also in the second leg," he wrote on alessandrodelpiero.com.
"It was nice to play in a stadium like the one in Dublin, very small, less than five thousand people crowded it completely...
"But I can assure you that they made us feel their presence, oh yes, they did. During the whole match they were cheering their team, despite the result.
"Pure passion, really nice ambience, the experience of times gone by! I was happy to be there.
"I'm grateful to the Irish fans for a standing ovation they reserved for me when I entered the fray. I also thanked them after the game through the local journalists that interviewed me."
