Leonardo Blanchard: Meet the lifelong Juventus fan who scored in shock draw for minnows Frosinone

EXCLUSIVE: Blanchard scored for the Serie A minnows in a shock draw against the defending champions

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Frosinone’s fairy tale rise from the third tier of Italian football was widely discussed this summer, particularly following Lazio President Claudio Lotito being caught on tape discussing the negative impact their presence would have on the top flight. The minnows soon made anyone who doubted their credentials look incredibly foolish however, earning their first ever Serie A point at Juventus Stadium thanks to a 92nd minute equaliser from Leonardo Blanchard.

“It was hugely emotional,” the central defender told The Independent in an exclusive interview, adding that “scoring against my favourite team is a great honour.” Indeed, while Frosinone owner Maurizio Stirpe said his side were “only going to Turin to see how beautiful their new stadium is,” it was quickly revealed that Blanchard was all too familiar with the home of the Bianconeri.

A lifelong Juve supporter, the 27 year old had been a regular in the stands over recent seasons, making the journey to watch his heroes whenever their respective fixture lists allowed him the time to so. He had even made the trip to Berlin to watch Max Allegri’s men take on Barcelona in the Champions League Final, a post on his Instagram account (below) showing him in the stands at the Olympiastadion back in June.

Yet while his fandom took him to the biggest matches and finest stadiums in Europe, his own career was being lived out in much lower profile surroundings, as is typical of many players on the peninsula. Starting out in the youth sector of Siena – who were then a Serie A side – he was never given a chance by the Tuscan side.

“They never believed in me,” Blanchard says, “so I wasn’t able to demonstrate that I deserved their faith.” From 2006 onwards he was sent on a series of loans, spending time with six different clubs and never truly settling anywhere. “I admit there were some faults on my side,” he reflects, “but I guess that they could have striven to understand my potential, and if they had maybe I would've had the opportunity to reach the top flight earlier than now!”

Instead he would bounce around the lower leagues with clubs like Poggibonsi, Sangimignano and Pavia, landing at Frosinone – who were then in Lega Pro and had just failed in their bid to return to Serie B – in the summer of 2012. Blanchard believes it was exactly what he needed, especially as his arrival coincided with the club’s decision to hand the team over to Roberto Stellone, fresh from impressively coaching their Under-19 side to a national title.


 Leonardo Blanchard has been superb for surprise-package Frosinone 
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“In terms of professional growth, these last three years with him have been the most important in my life,” Blanchard told The Independent. “Even though I knew to how to play my position well enough, Mr Stellone has been successful in helping to grow my skills both on the field and when it comes to the mental aspect of the game.”

“It’s improved the way I approach my role, relationships with my team-mates, training and especially match days,” he continues, and the latter has been particularly evident over the past two seasons. Establishing himself as a regular, Blanchard helped the Gialloazzurri earn back-to-back promotions, landing in Serie A this summer for the first time in their history.

There has been no huge foreign investment, with local businessman Maurizio Stirpe spending money to improve their facilities while backing home-grown talent like Blanchard rather than bringing in foreign players. “The whole achievement of reaching Serie A is the result of the unity and strength of the group,” the defender says. “We all pull in the same direction are and ready to fight until the end to earn results. This squad is a group of real men, and that is even before they are discussed as players.”

He is one of 18 Italians in that group, while no fewer than eight players that featured in the draw against Juventus were at the club last season. They would follow up that result with wins over Empoli, Sampdoria and fellow newly promoted side Carpi, who have made far more changes than Frosinone, including sacking their Coach after just six games.

Bologna have also recently changed the man on the sidelines, and Blanchard believes his club’s continuity hands them a distinct advantage over the other teams to make the leap from Serie B this past summer. “Sometimes these teams buy too many players as they try to adjust to the new league,” he says. “To me this isn’t the right approach, and the way we are taking on the challenge of this division is to demonstrate that, with the strength of last year squad and a lot of humility, we can do well.”

Currently sitting in eighteenth place, it will be a difficult task to avoid relegation but one the man in the heart of their defence believes they are more than capable of achieving. “I want to help bring Frosinone to the safety we deserve because I wish to stay in this league,” Blanchard says, but on Sunday he will be facing early leaders Inter in another difficult clash for the minnows.

Going head to head with the bitter rivals of his beloved Bianconeri, his fandom will be put to one side as he takes on the likes of Mauro Icardi and Stevan Jovetic at San Siro. “I'm a professional,” he says, “I bury my football passion for Juventus every time I step on the field. I'm not thinking about what the other team represent, I'm always trying just to concentrate on playing for Frosinone and nothing else to help us gain as many points as possible.”

“I hope to score again,” Blanchard smiles as the interview comes to an end, “but it’s the realisation of a dream just to be playing in Serie A.”