As rumours swirl about Andrea Agnelli’s possible return to Juventus, former club president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has offered his perspective on the situation. Speaking to TMW Radio, Cobolli Gigli addressed the speculation surrounding Agnelli’s potential comeback, which has been denied by Exor.
Cobolli Gigli began by acknowledging the challenges faced by current Juventus leadership: “I have no information, but I don’t know what Andrea Agnelli is doing. Certainly, Elkann has some issues with the current Juve.” He praised Agnelli’s passion and professionalism but also pointed out the significant financial losses incurred during his tenure.
The former president highlighted the club’s economic situation, noting, “Years of excellent sporting management with Marotta and then suboptimal operations by Paratici led to almost 900 million in recapitalization.” He suggested that if Agnelli were to return, he would need to act almost alone.
Offering advice to both Elkann and Agnelli, Cobolli Gigli stated, “If I were Elkann, I wouldn’t stay but would leave Juve’s management to Andrea Agnelli.” However, he cautioned against repeating past mistakes: “His error was thinking that in his position he was omnipotent and wasn’t low-profile, as his father used to ask. If I had to advise something, I would advise him to do this. That said, I insist that Andrea Agnelli must not feel omnipotent.”
Turning his attention to the upcoming Fiorentina-Juventus match, Cobolli Gigli emphasized the importance of the game for the team’s standings and player valuations. He warned, “If Juve doesn’t win in Florence, the abyss widens.”
The former president also criticized the current management structure, particularly focusing on Cristiano Giuntoli’s role: “Giuntoli at this moment seems to be the owner of Juve, and it’s very anomalous. Giuntoli should be kept as the head of the technical area and nothing more.” He expressed disappointment with recent transfers, stating, “How has he worked? Badly, the purchases so far haven’t performed. Douglas Luiz, Nico Gonzalez, Koopmeiners were paid a lot but are a total disappointment.”
In conclusion, Cobolli Gigli raised concerns about potential further upheaval at the club: “If Juve should also face the Giuntoli problem and decide to remove him, the problems would increase.”
