Andrea Agnelli says Juventus are bigger than Cristiano Ronaldo and confirms he ‘doesn’t give up’ on the Super League.
Juventus’ shareholders’ meeting takes place at the Allianz Stadium today with the Bianconeri, the only Serie A club that held the event in presence.
As usual, Juventus President Andrea Agnelli opened the meeting with a speech where he touched on the club’s results during the last season, both on and off the pitch.
“We will approve the financial statement with a loss of €210m and it’s fair to come here to explain what’s going on,” Agnelli said as quoted by Ilbianconero.com.
“We will renew the board and we will request a new €400m capital increase. To understand what Juventus will do, it is useful to context the macro-economic framework in which Juve has moved.
“A highly healthy economic framework, in conflict with what are all the rumours that we feel discontent within our industry.
“We played 60 games behind closed doors from May 2020 until last season. All the revenue lines have been called into question, leading to a political and institutional crisis.
“The Superleague, the consequences on ECA and UEFA, for the roles held for Real Madrid, Barcelona and today we are waiting for a ruling by the European Court of Justice,” Agnelli continued.
“The Super League was the admission from 12 clubs that football is refusing change to maintain a political class that does not risk, does not compete but wants to cash in only.
“I do not want to give up, and I did not do it yesterday, I will not do it tomorrow. The system needs a change and Juve wants to be part of it. But only through constructive dialogue, for everyone.
“We could be able to estimate the effect of the COVID pandemic at the end of the season.
“So what will Juventus do? We will go to clean up the effects of COVID at the end of the season. At the end of 2019, the club had come to ask for approval of a plan and it has not been cancelled by COVID.
“Our plan was credible, inevitably bringing losses in the early years. But it was a credible plan and it still is today.”
Back in 2019, the club’s shareholders had approved a capital increase for €300m to develop the club’s brand, but most of that money was used to cope with the pandemic, which began only a few months later.
Last but not least, Agnelli mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in 2018 and left the club last summer after 101 goals in 134 appearances.
Juventus spent €110m to secure his signature from Real Madrid, while Manchester United signed him in August for €15m plus €8m add-ons.
“It was an honour and a pleasure,” said Agnelli.
“And if we think about what has been on the field, we cannot symbolically applaud Cristiano and thank him for the joys.
“The only pity is that for one year and a half out of three, we played behind closed doors.
“Morata is right when he says that the Juventus jersey brings responsibility. I am in charge of this club and Juventus is bigger than anyone else had the honour to participate in this path. It comes before any other person.
“In this context, we need to regain our values: work, sacrifice, discipline. These values must bring results on and off the pitch.”
Agnelli all'Assemblea degli Azionisti: il discorso integrale. 'Ronaldo? Grazie, ma la Juve è più grande di tutto e tutti' https://t.co/15WmKeSikt
— ilbianconero (@ilbianconerocom) October 29, 2021
penaldo destroyed juve single handedly. destroyed team works, defensive solidity, brought many mercenaries into the team.
third of his total goals came from penalties and many tap in goals.
what so great about him? bringing nothing positive and distasteful for juve loyalist.
penaldo is paratici, nedved and agnelli biggest blunder.
Super League, don’t make me laugh. Pubclubventus cannot even beat Empoli, Sassuolo at home, Ajax, Lyon and Porto. When it comes to the knock out stages, god forbid if they met a bigger club. The win against Chelsea was in the group stages. Bigger clubs will put the kittens back in their cages.