Alessandro Del Piero to partake in charity match

Former Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero will partake in Saturday's J-League charity match at the Kashima Stadium in Japan.

The match will pit players from the area of Tohoku, affected by last year's natural disasters, against a supporter-chosen selection of the country's stars.

"I'm finally coming back to Japan for the first time in a while, and I feel blessed to have the opportunity. I'm looking forward to meeting all of the fans who have given me love and support throughout my career," the 37-year-old wrote on his official Japanese blog.

"I'm glad that I can appear in this match to help support those who suffered from the disasters and the towns and cities that are rebuilding."

Del Piero is still without a club after departing Juventus at the end of the season.