Juventus greats Marco Tardelli, Franco Causio and Roberto Boninsegna on Wednesday hailed club icon Alessandro Del Piero's long-sought deal to extend his contract for another two years.
After months of talks that the 32-year-old 2006 World Cup winner admitted were "complex", Del Piero agreed to lower his pay demand to about four million euros per season compared to the five million he got four years ago.
For its part, the management ripped up a clause tying Del Piero's wages to his performances in the second season, 2009-1010. Now he'll get a clean 3.8 million euros that year, following four million net in 2008-9.
"That clause was ridiculous," said Boninsegna, a star Juve and Italy striker in the 1960s and '70s.
The fondly remembered 'Bonimba' said the deal was "positive for both sides".
Tardelli, a midfield great in the '70s and '80s, said "I had no doubt the contract would be renewed. For him, it wasn't a wage problem but one of respect".
Tardelli's former Italy and Juve club-mate and fellow 1982 World Cup winner Causio called Tuesday night's conclusion to the contract talks "logical".
"Del Piero is the soul of this Juve, on the field and in the locker-room," said the 'Baron'.
Del Piero has won five Serie A titles in his 13 years with the Turin giants - plus another two revoked because of two ex-Juve executives' lead role in the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.
Unlike many stars, he did not jump ship when Juve were relegated to Serie B because of Calciopoli, and led them back to the top flight in one go.
In recent years he has accepted spells on the bench with a widely praised grace - although a few grimaces have shown through lately at both club and international level.
He still figures in Italy coach Roberto Donadoni's plans for the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, but Donadoni has been playing him mostly as a late starter designed to break down tiring defences.
Donadoni left him out of the recent 2-0 win in Georgia and it is uncertain whether Del Piero will regain enough form to play in next month's showdown against Scotland.
At last year's World Cup, Del Piero came on late to score a memorable clincher against Germany to seal Italy's place in their victorious final against France.
Juve's new coach Claudio Ranieri has said he will continue to 'manage' Del Piero's playing time to keep him sharp.
AC Milan legend Jose' Altafini, who profitably prolonged his playing career with a mid-'70s spell at Juve, said: "Unfortunately, you have to accept the hard law of age and cut your fee.
"But class increases with age. I joined Juve at 34 and scored a lot of goals from the bench. I wasn't thrilled about it either. But Del Piero should carry on the way he has been doing, putting a brave face on it".
As well as the five scudetti, Del Piero has won one European Cup/Champions League trophy, one European Super Cup, a World Clubs Championship and an Italian Cup with Juve.
He is the club's all-time top scorer with 218 goals and with 525 appearances is set to pass legendary libero Gaetano Scirea's record tally of 552.
