ATLANTA — Wednesday was not the first time Toronto FC striker Sebastian Giovinco participated in an MLS All-Star Game. In fact, he's played in the game in each of his four seasons in MLS. But at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Italian faced a new and yet familiar foe -- the club that he spent almost 20 years at, Juventus.
Giovinco played 30 minutes in the 2018 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, subbing in for MVP Josef Martinez in the 32nd minute with score level at 1-1. He departed in the 62nd minute and went on to watch the All-Stars lose to Juventus in a penalty-kick shootout, the second-straight year that the game has ended with the All-Stars at the short end of the stick after a shootout.
"It's always nice to play against them. I have a lot of friends there [so] it was a beautiful night," Giovinco said to reporters after the match.
The 2015 MLS MVP registered one shot on the night, along with participating in a buildup that forced Wojciech Szczesny to make a diving save on Ezequiel Barco in the 39th minute.
"The intensity was good. Of course [for Juventus] the conditioning was different because it was the beginning of the season. For us it's maybe a bit better but I think it was a good test," he said.
Before arriving in Atlanta the 31-year-old told reporters in Toronto that he was excited to see some of his old friends. While longtime Juventus players Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio did not participate in the match, he was able to share the field with Andrea Barzagli for 13 minutes at the end of the first half. The two played three-and-a-half seasons together.
Asked after the match if he was able to swap jerseys with a member of his former team, Giovinco replied in the affirmative but refused to share who the player was that he traded with.
With the match not being a battle for positioning in the table or to advance in a tournament, the three-time Best XI selection did not find it awkward to have to go against his boyhood club.
"This is a friendly match for the fans. We play for them. It was a nice game. We lost in the penalty kicks [which can happen] but it was nice."
