Max Allegri salutes Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala for representing Juventus with ‘passion and class’ over the years, noting he ‘practically raised’ La Joya in Turin.
After the crowd had left, Dybala, Alvaro Morata and Dusan Vlahovic went back out to take pictures and chat on the turf of the Allianz Juventus Stadium.
“It was a marvellous evening full of emotions, it was a night for Dybala and Chiellini,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia.
“Chiellini is quitting, he gave Italian, European and world football so much in terms of passion and love for his job. I think everyone in youth academies should study videos of Chiellini to learn how to defend.
“On a personal level, he gave me so much. When I arrived at Juventus, it was him, Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci and Marchisio who let me understand Juventus and helped me.
“Paulo was an important player for seven years at Juventus. He was a child when he arrived, I feel like I helped raise him. He earned his place and the fans quite rightly gave him an extraordinary tribute that he deserved. He gave a great deal to Juventus with passion and class.”
The two players reacted very differently, as while Chiellini smiled throughout and looked entirely at peace, Dybala burst into distraught tears. Was La Joya not ready to leave Juventus?
“It’s not about being ready or not ready, it’s just emotions. Perhaps Giorgio will cry when he goes home tonight, Paulo couldn’t hold it in. I felt emotional seeing them too, I was glad to experience these emotions, as I did others.”
The game with Lazio ended 2-2 in the final minute with a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic counter-attack, which inevitably infuriated Allegri on the touchline.
“We were winning, the players were doing well, but these things happen and it’s in a way emblematic of the season we’ve had. We need to get accustomed to winning again.”
The focus now moves to next season and the reported rebuilding of the midfield, with targets including Paul Pogba and Milinkovic-Savic.
“I spoke to the club, we have some clear ideas, naturally the market is unpredictable. I think we laid some good foundations, players like Vlahovic and Zakaria just arrived, they will improve next season. Fabio Miretti really impressed me with his forward passing, I love that.”