Former Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini has waxed lyrical about Massimiliano Allegri’s star defensive duo, Gleison Bremer and Danilo. Both players have made the final cut for Brazil and are expected to play influential roles in Qatar.
Danilo has been one of the most consistent defenders at Juventus since switching from Manchester City in 2019. Well-adept in covering multiple positions alongside the backline, the 31-year-old has established himself as one of the most significant first-team players at the Allianz Stadium.
Aside from his eye-catching performances at Juventus, Danilo has been a permanent fixture in Tite’s star-studded Brazil team. Alongside his club teammate Alex Sandro, he helped the Selecao make light work of the CONMEBOL qualifying group, finishing at the top without a single loss from 17 matches (W14, D3).
In addition to Danilo, Bremer, who joined Juventus from city rivals Torino in the summer, could have a prominent role in Qatar this winter. It has taken him a while to adjust to the new surroundings. But the 25-year-old is again one of the best-performing defenders in Serie A.
Bremer has forged a formidable center-back partnership with Leonardo Bonucci, turning Juventus into the best defensive side in Italy. His scintillating form in Turin has not gone unnoticed.
Tite has added his name to the list of travelers as Brazil aim to ascend the World Cup throne for the first time since 2002. The Selecao fans can be pleased after what they had to hear from Los Angeles FC star Chiellini, who has heaped praise on both Brazilian defenders.
“Bremer took my number three at Juventus. I’m proud that he’s wearing it. As an opponent, I had seen his strength, but they tell me that he’s also a polite and well-disciplined person,” he said, as quoted by JuventusNews24.
“Imagine that he had called me to ask if he could take my old number. I told him this would make me very happy!“
As for Juventus stalwart Danilo, Chiellini sees him as the team’s de facto leader.
“I’ve been telling you for a while that Danilo was a leader. As a player, he has amazed me in recent years. I was convinced he was a fullback, but he proved to be excellent in every position.
“Except for the goalkeeper, he covered them all! And then he has a personality and intelligence that allows him to drag others along.”