EDICOLA NEWS: THE REVIEWS nr. 68
cards: 469 (basic set)
starter pack: binder + 4 packets + 2 cards ltd edt € 8.00
packets: € 1.00 (6 cards)
comment: while the flagship Calciatori travels towards the age of 60 (for the 2020/21 edition we expect great things, understood Panini ?? 😉), the prodigal son Adrenalyn celebrates its tenth anniversary. Ten important years because, season after season, the success of the cards has become increasingly significant, far from the biblical numbers of the stickers, but it is absolutely unlikely that, sooner or later, we can even get overtaking.
The Adrenalyn collection was born under a different spirit than the stickers, it does not have the complete squad of the Serie A and often had criticism for the shirts worn by the players. In reality the need to leave at the beginning of September entails the closure of the press at the end of July, with the result that the photographs are taken in some friendlies match of the various teams and often in the summer the clubs use away shirts. Of course it is really strange to see Brescia in green jersey or Spal in a practically white jersey, but better these “defects” than the wild use of Photoshop.
Furthermore the Adrenalyn are a game, it has an average audience that is very young and the search for completing the album does not have that final and absolute purpose that has been valid since 1961 instead for the stickers. For the older generations they are sometimes indigestible, actually the choice of Panini to let them come out in September, then 4 months from the new Calciatori, allows in many families to collect both.
As for the presence of away and third jerseys, in many teams we have the presence of players who have moved elsewhere or other champions are not present yet (Lukaku for example). Having the updated teams would mean going out in November so you can’t do otherwise, then the PLUS cards will come out to update the teams. As well as the other cards that will bring the basic set probably updated to 520 total stickers.
From the graphic point of view, the cards always remain of good quality, we don’t find big news compared to the previous year, if not for some new captivating sections like DIAMANTE (young promises) and BLITZ (new arrivals in Serie A). Cards that have even more meaning when viewed in the context of the game and not only of card collecting.
The news are actually others, to celebrate the tenth anniversary Panini will realize a special Tin Box Platinum with as many as 10 limited edition cards, cards that will be found only in this package. They are special cards because they are celebratory and present 10 players who were already present in the first 2009/10 edition (Buffon, Quagliarella, Criscito the names that have already been announced). Furthermore, only in this box we will find 15 basic cards plus that are not inside the standard bags. Virtually all 25 cards are limited editions.
So this year we have two tin boxes. The special premium packets and the limited cards attached to the Bomber magazine are also confirmed. Possible that there will be further additions.
Another news, the TOP PLAYER cards, which had made the collectors go crazy last year, this year can be ordered in Panini (Handanovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, Piatek, Koulibaly, Quagliarella).
Very appreciable that the cards follow the same logic of the stickers, in the basic set each club has the same number of cards (18), this means that the UNBEATABLE DUO card in some cases is really risky .. but in short, someone had to put it, not ?
Important detail, buying a box we found very few doubles, the free version packets that instead are found in the starter pack often have duplicates (not in the same packet, of course). Material, however, always good for exchanges!
In summary, here are the outputs already provided with card limited:
Allan, Under (in the starter pack)
De Vrij, Luis Alberto, English (in the standard tin box)
Muriel, Godin, Ramsey, Bennacer, Zielinski, Diawara, Murillo (in the premium packets)
Immobile, Bernardeschi, Belotti(in the gold premium packets)
Freuler, Romero (Bomber magazine nr. 23)
Dijks, Berardi (Bomber magazine nr. 25)
Dragowski (Bomber 26)
Godin, Ramsey, Zielinski gold signature (in premium packets, 5000 copies per player)
Premium Tin Box (contains 25 limited edition cards)
Final judgment: 9/10