Patrice Evra reveals Giorgio Chiellini is still upset with him for leaving Juventus and reveals he once dissuaded Antonio Conte from signing a top player at Chelsea.
The former French defender released a lengthy interview with La Repubblica newspaper where he revealed why Cristiano Ronaldo left Juventus in the summer.
Evra joined the Bianconeri in the summer of 2014 as a free agent and was supposed to be coached by Antonio Conte. However, the Italian tactician resigned one day into the preseason and Max Allegri came in to replace him.
Evra admits he joined Juventus for Conte, but does not regret never playing under him.
“I would have liked to have been trained by him, but we talk often and we have a good relationship,” Evra said.
“Once, when I advised him not to – rightly – buy a potential big player for Chelsea, Antonio told me: ‘Patrice, I respect you immensely, because you always tell the truth. I can trust you.'”
Evra reveals the two reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo left Juventus
Conte left Inter by mutual agreement in the summer and has been linked with the Manchester United job. He spent two seasons at Chelsea, winning the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Evra also discussed his Juventus exit, after two years and a half at the club.
“I was a bit crazy, maybe. After the Euros in 2016, I stayed on the bench for the first two games so I asked Allegri what was going on,” he recalled.
“He told me: ‘No worries, you don’t have to play all the games. I promise you will always play the big matches.
“I couldn’t accept it because, if I rest, I die, so I decided to leave.
“Director Fabio Paratici was shocked. He was like: ‘Are you kidding me? We are winning the title and we’ll get to the Champions League Final. Where are you going?
“But that’s the way I am done, if I am not 100% happy I leave. Giorgio Chiellini is still upset with me.
He told me: ‘Pat, why are you doing this to us? To him, I should have played for Juventus forever, but I need passion and full commitment. I am an honest man. It was my fault, not Juventus’.”
La mia intervista integrale (versione molto più estesa del giornale) a Patrice @evra su @repubblica.
Perché Chiellini è ancora arrabbiato con lui, perché Salvioni è un mito come Allegri e Ferguson, Marsala che lo salvò, la più bella qualità di Allegri.https://t.co/WJmt5uYNuC
— Antonello Guerrera (@antoguerrera) October 29, 2021