 Although credited with preventing the sale of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and young stars Sebastian Giovinco and Claudio Marchisio, he was highly criticized for signing players such as Tiago Mendes, Sergio Almirón, and defenders Jean-Alain Boumsong and Jorge Andrade during the 2007–08 season even though Juventus finished third in the league, thus qualifying for Champions League football the following season.Meanwhile, Mendes, Almirón and Boumsong were all either loaned out or sold by the winter transfer window of the 2009–10 season.In February 2009, it was confirmed that he renewed his contract until 2011.