Giorgio Chiellini, the former Juventus captain and current club executive, recently shared his thoughts on his future with the club and the team’s current Serie A campaign during an event at Luiss University in Rome.
Reflecting on his time in Los Angeles, Chiellini expressed his fondness for the city, stating, “I left my heart in Los Angeles, and I don’t know when, but I will return.” However, he emphasized his desire to provide stability for his family by returning to Turin. Looking ahead, he added, “I don’t rule anything out, but I see myself staying here for many years to come.”
When asked about Juventus’ chances of mounting a comeback in the Serie A title race, Chiellini drew parallels to the 2015 season. He recalled, “In 2015, we experienced something similar. We started poorly, and in October, we suffered a defeat against Sassuolo, where I was also sent off. It was a period of low clarity, and at that moment, Buffon was crucial in pushing us to do something different.”
Chiellini highlighted the importance of Gianluigi Buffon’s leadership during that challenging time. “Gigi has values deep in his heart. He managed to touch the right chords in all of us and get us back on track. Beyond that, there’s daily work, but what reignited our pride and made us climb back up were his words.”
Discussing his role as captain, Chiellini emphasized the importance of leading by example. “I always tried to be an example of dedication, consistency, self-sacrifice, and resilience for my teammates, especially the younger ones. I always aimed to earn everyone’s respect through my actions, even before my words.”
He stressed the significance of building strong personal relationships within the team, particularly in the fast-paced environment of professional football. “It’s important to start from the basics and establish excellent human relationships with everyone. Occasionally, public confrontations may occur, especially in emergency situations, but problems are mainly resolved in private.”
Chiellini also touched on the challenges of being a senior player and captain. “After turning 30, it wasn’t easy to represent 25 people of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds, even if they all shared the same goal as the club. It’s not easy when you consider that only 11 out of 25 players play, less than half, and there are often hierarchies to respect.”
He added, “Every year, 7-8 players in the squad would change, and we often had to start from scratch. Being the link between old and new wasn’t easy. I tried as much as possible to understand people to bring out the best in them.”
