Two months after Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell and during the first positive streak of the season, Juventus players have begun addressing what happened in the summer. Giorgio Chiellini admitted that the late departure negatively affected the team: “He left on August 28th. Surely it would have been better for us if he moved earlier. It is something we paid the price for.”
The Bianconeri got off to a disastrous start, collecting just two points in the first four games against Udinese, Empoli, Napoli, and Milan. Chiellini talked to DAZN: “It was not hard to digest, but it created a shock in the immediate aftermath. Had he done it at the beginning of August, we would have had more time to organize. Moreover, the transfer would not have been the sole focus in those days, and we would have been more ready for matches.”
Ronaldo leaving did not catch Chiellini off guard: “We sensed it in the locker room during the summer. We had reached a point where he needed more motivation and a team that played for him. He is always decisive when he finds it, and he proved it at Juventus too.”
Chiellini understood the reasoning: “We are going through a rebuilding phase where we are trying to get younger. Clearly, he would have been an added value if he stayed, and we would have gladly taken advantage of his presence. However, I think it was fair for him to look for a club more focused on the present rather than on the future.”