“He was treated like Zidane” – Former Juventus defender lashes out on Rabiot | OneFootball

Former Juventus centre-back Mark Iuliano responded to the recent controversial comments made by Adrien Rabiot regarding his time in Turin.

The 29-year-old spent five seasons with the Bianconeri who were trying to keep him around last summer despite his hefty wages. However, the player and his mother/agent Veronique never replied to Cristiano Giuntoli who was waiting for a definitive answer after Euro 2024.

The France international was thus hoping to join a European giant, but for one reason or another, the big clubs weren’t exactly queueing up for the midfielder who ended up signing for Olympique Marseille in September, accepting a significant wage cut in the process.

“Since I’ve been here, it’s true, people have shown me great affection. Have I ever felt that anywhere else? No. Here I feel that my value is truly appreciated,” said the former PSG man during a recent interview.

((Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)

These comments left a bad taste in the mouths of several Juventini, including Iuliano, a robust defender who proudly donned the Bianconeri colours back in his heyday between 1996 and 2005.

The 51-year-old insists Juventus tried their best to pamper Rabiot, treating him as if he was the iconic Zinedine Zidane, even though the club had to wait several years for the player to finally flourish at the Allianz Stadium.

“When I hear Rabiot talking… let’s remember that we had to wait for four years before he got a season right,” noted Iuliano in his interview with TV Play via JuventusNews24.

“He had a huge salary and Juventus always defended him. I was there many times and I’ve seen it in my own eyes. They treated him as if he was Zidane.

“Therefore, his comments made me laugh. He said he felt understood at Marseille. Well, in Turin, he had psychologists!”