Juventus President Andrea Agnelli explains why the club didn’t offer a new contract to Paulo Dybala and compares the Premier League and the Super League.
Agnelli spoke to an event organised by Il Foglio at San Siro yesterday. He touched on multiple topics, including deciding to part ways with Paulo Dybala at the end of the season. The Old Lady had reached an agreement over a new €10m-a-year deal at the end of 2021, but changed their plans after signing Dusan Vlahovic in January.
“Dybala has given everything for Juventus, he is a great player, but decisions are determined by moments,” said Agnelli as quoted by Tuttosport newspaper.
“In December, I would have said that signing Vlahovic was impossible, in January, I thought that it was difficult. I was thinking about a possible agreement, not a transfer.
“Making an unsustainable offer would have been unfair for the club and Dybala. There are limited resources and we must choose. We picked Vlahovic, De Ligt, Locatelli…We want to make Juventus younger with a group of Italian players, closer to the fans and the club’s values. Quality players who will allow us to keep our ambitions.”
New twist in Super League saga as Juve, Barça and Madrid could face UEFA sanctions
Agnelli was among the main architects of the Super League, the breakaway project that collapsed within 48 hours from its launch last year. Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona remain among the club involved in the project but could soon face UEFA sanctions as the commercial court in Madrid has lifted the injunction imposed on UEFA.
Agnelli believes that a Super League already exists and is the Engish Premier League.
“Slowly, the Premier League will attract all the talent, which goes where it’s better paid. There is already a Super League,” he said.
“We could have two English teams in the Champions League Final, one in the Europa League, perhaps against a Scottish one.
“There is one Premier League at the start of the season, and another one from March onwards. The current system is locked, the same teams always win domestically. With the Super League, we wanted to create a dialogue with UEFA and FIFA, the definition of the competition’s format is something else and would come later.
“UEFA is regulator, judge, commercial operator, monopolist: it is not modern governance and is the focal point for the appeal to the European Court for free competition in the free market. Today there is no dialogue, but the rapport and the shared ideas we have on specific issues remain. Ceferin thought it was a personal attack. It wasn’t.”
Giorgio Chiellini could leave the club in the summer despite having a contract until 2023. Italy’s elimination from the World Cup play-offs could convince the defender to move to the MLS for the final year of his career or retire at the end of the season. On the other hand, Del Piero returned to the Allianz Stadium for a Juventus game two weeks ago, but a return to the club isn’t on the cards at the moment.
“Chiellini must talk to his family and the club, we’ll meet at the end of the season,” said Agnelli.
“Giorgio has a place for him at the club and he knows that, but being a great sportsman doesn’t mean becoming a great executive. I’ve tutored Pavel Nedved, but I had Marotta and Paratici with me. We must be careful in adding too many figures coming from the pitch.
“Del Piero is always welcome. He lives with his family in Los Angeles, he works as a pundit and I think he has a happy life. Joining the club means changing lifestyle completely for everyone.”