Chiellini: Juventus legend ‘made the difference’ in 2015 crisis. Allegri ‘understood’ one thing | OneFootball

Juventus director Giorgio Chiellini explains how the Bianconeri bounced back after a ‘disastrous’ start to the season in 2015 and praises his former coach Massimiliano Allegri: ‘He quickly understood the club’s values.’

The former defender, currently working as the Head of Football Institutional Relations at Juventus, spoke to reporters after an event at Rome’s Luiss University on Friday.

Thiago Motta’s Juventus are going through a tough time as they’ve been eliminated from the Champions League and Coppa Italia and must achieve a top-four finish in Serie A this term.

“In 2015, we went through a similar moment,” Chiellini said via Tuttosport.

Chiellini: Buffon ‘made the difference’ in 2015 crisis. Allegri ‘understood’ one thing

Juventus players (L-R) Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League quarter final, second leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Juventus FC at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, 19 April 2017. EPA/ALEJANDRO GARCIA

“The start was a disaster, and in October, we lost to Sassuolo, where I was sent off. It was a period of poor clarity, and Buffon was the one who made the difference. Gigi has strong values in his heart and was able to strike the right chords with us. Beyond that, daily work was crucial, but his words reignited our pride and helped us climb back up the standings.”

Juventus had reached the Champions League Final in the previous campaign and managed to bounce back in 2015-16, winning the Serie A title for the fifth time in a row.

Chiellini played 210 Juventus matches under Allegri, more than with any other coach in his career.

“One thing I appreciated about him was his light approach as a coach and his ability to let things slide,” argued the former defender.

“He was good at not making an already heavy and pressure-filled world even heavier. He gave the team confidence and freedom while still demanding a lot from everyone. He gives you a lot but keeps control. Even on a human level, he quickly understood Juve’s values despite never having played there.

“He has grown a lot as a person, studied to improve himself, and adapted to the coaching role at Cagliari, Milan, and Juve, making those club values his own.

“I was the only one who understood his jokes in Livornese slang,” added Chiellini. “I had to translate them for both the foreigners and the Italians.”

Allegri returned to Juventus for a second spell in 2021 and won just one trophy in three years.

Chiellini served as the Juventus’ captain after Gigi Buffon’s PSG move in 2018.

“I’ve always tried to set an example through dedication, consistency, commitment, and resilience for my teammates, especially the younger ones,” he concluded.

“I’ve always aimed to earn respect for what I did, even before what I said. In an environment like ours, starting with the fundamentals to build great human relationships with everyone is important. A public confrontation can happen in emergencies, but problems must be resolved privately.”