Luciano Spalletti’s decision to leave Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli out of his Italy squad for Euro 2024 has sparked an intense debate. However, the 26-year-old holds no grudges against the former Napoli manager and will use his omission to spend time with his family.
Locatelli had been quiet about the whole situation before taking to his Instagram profile on Friday to break his silence.
“I took a few days after the end of the championship to reflect carefully on everything. The season has been long, and we have achieved the team objectives,” the Juventus ace wrote.
“Now is the time to enjoy my fantastic family. I will always have a positive outlook because I am aware I gave everything. Working every day to improve myself is my mentality, and it will always be like this. A hug to all of you.”
Locatelli was among Italy’s standout performers at Euro 2020. He was essential to Roberto Mancini’s set-up that conquered the continent in the summer of 2021. His blistering off-season form resulted in his switch from Sassuolo to Juventus.
Though his career at the Allianz Stadium has had ups and downs, Locatelli remains a vital first-team star in Turin. He made 36 league appearances last term, helping Juventus return to the Champions League after a season-long absence.
Meanwhile, his younger clubmate Nicolo Fagioli missed a large chunk of the campaign due to suspension for breaching betting rules. Somehow, Spalletti has deemed the senior Juventus star surplus to requirements and opted for the one who barely touched the ball in the past 12 months.
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |