Former Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi is surprised to see Paulo Dybala leave the Allianz Stadium and believes that ‘it won’t be easy’ to replace him.
The Argentinean will leave Turin at the end of his contract in the summer. Juventus have decided against extending his contract, so the striker will now enter talks with other clubs ahead of a free transfer in July. Matuidi spent three years at Juventus with Dybala and admits that the club’s decision to part ways with their star is surprising.
“I am on good terms with Paulo, I heard the news, but I haven’t talked to him yet,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
“He is a great football and a great person. I am surprised to see him leave, it won’t be easy to replace him and find another player of his calibre. He has done extraordinary things over the years and I am sure he will find a club that will allow him to do well and improve. It’s hard to accept but one must have the strength to turn the page.”
Arrivabene confirms Dybala departure, ‘We made our choice in January’
Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed yesterday that Dybala is no longer in Juventus’ plans for the future, so the Serie A giants hadn’t even made an offer for their star during their last meeting with the player’s agent on Monday.
Matuidi won three Serie A titles in Turin and left the club in 2020 after a one-year spell with Maurizio Sarri, who was sacked at the end of the season.
“I spent three amazing seasons in Turin. I have fantastic memories, a lot of trophies won. I was lucky to play in a top team, but it was time to change and I understood it thanks to COVID,” said Matuidi, who joined Miami FC in 2020.
“Those three months at home made me think about the value of life. I am a footballer, football is everything for me, but life must be lived. I understood that it was time to change and have a new experience with my family and my children. I have no regrets and I will forever remember Juventus, who treated me as a member of their family.
“I had no problems with Sarri, as somebody said. It was just the right time to leave. We were at the end of a cycle, but we thought Juventus would continue winning.”
Intervista a Blaise Matuidi: "Cara Juve mi hai sorpreso, sostituire Paulo non sarà facile" #Dybala https://t.co/7JnUSOhQsE
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) March 22, 2022