Giorgio Chiellini, former defender of National and of Juventusspoke to the microphones of the Iberian newspaper AS. The former Juventus player underlined how he is focused on his internship in the States, and also specified that he will return to Turin in September in a different role. The former Juventus number 3 also gave his opinion on the farewell to football of Leonardo Bonucci, his teammate at Juventus and in the national team until a few years ago.
On retiring from playing football: “In my last year at Juve I could still play, but I noticed how difficult it was for me to recover. I didn’t want to be useless. The same thing happened to me in Los Angeles. I had two wonderful seasons, we reached two MLS finals, one won and one lost, and a Champions League final. With my family the idea was to return to Italy after the summer and I wanted to start having fun and studying.”
On what he’s doing now in the States: “I’m doing an internship here, working close to the sports side, but also to the work side. It’s interesting and I’m learning a lot.”
On the future: “In September I will return to Turin, which is my home, but it was a family decision. I have an ambassadorial contract with Juventus, it has been the team of my career, even if it is early to talk about my future. I have to continue learning and accumulating energy to start again.”
On the strongest central defender in Italy: “The best at the moment is Bastoni. On a technical level there are few at his level in the world, he is growing and interpreting the new evolution of football well, less positional and increasingly technical and offensive. He plays in a three-man defence, but changes position, positions himself high and has enormous calm when touching the ball. He could be a great Spanish central defender.”
On the end of an era after Bonucci’s farewell to football: “An era is over. Soon it will be the turn of the other BBC too… The first was Gareth (Bale, ed.), with whom I was lucky enough to play here, he is a splendid person. Time passes, it’s part of life. It’s essential to prepare for what comes next, even if I played until I was 60.”
