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Updated September 13th, 2021 at 20:25 IST

Juventus star Chiellini aims a dig at Cristiano Ronaldo; blames him for Dybala's goal drop

Cristiano Ronaldo's departure has left a hole for the club to fill and according to Chiellini, they were focused too much on Ronaldo and Dybala will step up now

Reported by: Prithvi Virmani
Cristiano Ronaldo
Image: AP | Image:self
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Cristiano Ronaldo's spell at Juventus came to an end on August 27, even though his transfer to Manchester United was not confirmed until a few days later. On the day, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri revealed that Cristiano wanted to leave the club and had no intention of staying on. At that time, rumours suggested that Ronaldo could be on his way to Manchester City but things turned around completely, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner heading back to his proverbial home, Old Trafford.

However, his departure has left a hole for the Bianconeri to fill and according to club captain Giorgio Chiellini, they were focused too much on the Portuguese superstar during his time at the club but added that Paulo Dybala would step up now. As quoted by Goal.com, Chiellini told DAZN:

"When you have a world-class player like Cristiano, you cannot help but use the team to play for him. We must be grateful to Cristiano for all he did during these years at Juventus, but we carry on. This will be Paulo Dybala’s team. Over the last couple of years, he lowered his average goals because of Cristiano’s presence, but he is a key player for this team and that is recognised by everyone."

Juventus' faltering start to Serie A season

Juve have had one of the worst starts to the season, as they haven't not a game yet. While it might be just three games into the season, their rivals have gained significant ground on the Scudetto as AS Roma, AC Milan and Napoli have all won their first few games of the season. Juventus will now be looking to improve their form starting from their UEFA Champions League clash against Malmo. They then take on AC Milan in Serie A on September 20 at 12:15 AM IST.

Why did Ronaldo choose United over City?

According to Juventus director Federico Cherubini, Ronaldo chose United over City because the Red Devils behaved like a "club with tradition" in their transfer negotiations. He also said that the Old Lady could not force Ronaldo to stay, insisting that no one was above the club. 

Cherubini told Tuttosport, "We couldn’t force a player to stay in a context that he didn’t recognize anymore. We respect Ronaldo, but I share the same view as our president - Juventus' history is made by great champions, coaches, and directors, but the club remains the most important thing," said Cherubini.

(Image: AP)

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Published September 13th, 2021 at 20:25 IST

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