Daniele Rugani’s agent has blasted Juventus for not playing his client in the midweek clash against Hellas Verona.
Given Andrea Barzagli’s injury and Martin Caceres’ fall from grace in recent months, Rugani was widely expected to play as the third defender when Juve took to the field on Wednesday.
Surprisingly, it was the Uruguayan who played from the start, leaving Rugani’s agent unhappy at his client’s omission from the starting XI.
“Juve continue to declare how important he is, but yesterday with Barzagli out it was Caceres who played,” Davide Torchia told Radio Crc.
“This decision left me rather perplexed, seeing as the lad did so well in the Coppa Italia. In any case, I hope the club will keep its word, seeing as it claims Rugani is the first choice after that trio.
“The whole football world expected to see Daniele play yesterday.”
The young defender has been repeatedly linked with a move to Napoli in the January transfer window.
“Juve do not want to sell, so any situation becomes difficult,” continued the agent.
“There is respect between them and always will be, but obviously Napoli can’t just sit back and wait for the Rugani situation to evolve.”
I was also surprised but I think this was just seizing the chance to display Caceres to potential buyers one more time.
Caceres should be sold now for whatever money you can still get or his contract should be extended. The later is unlikely.
Which means Caceres is gone now for some transfer sum or he is gone after the summer as a free agent.
That will also mean we need a new CB, either a seasoned veteran who would be okay with a substitute role or another youngster for the long term.
Seeing as Barzagli is on the wrong side of 30 and Chiellini is nearing that, I would like to see our future defenders pour into the team now so they get time to get used to the culture at Juve and can start gelling together.
For once I agree completely with one of these players agents. I was shocked at not seeing his name in the starting lineup. What the hell is going on? What on earth could be the point of starting Caceres, who by all estimations is leaving the club, instead of our future defensive captain? It makes no sense whatsoever and it goes to show why Coman left and why Berardi is thinking twice about coming to Turin. We do NOT treat young players with any respect. We have a history for this nonsense and players know about it.
Must disagree on this score, comrade…Rugani’s agent needs to keep his mouth shut, or Daniele needs to change agents. Its becoming a bother to find his repeated whining. Rugani is likely known to scouts and some managers outside of Italy, but he is hardly yet bandied about on a stage bigger than Italy as a future star in the making. He has been behind three world class, supremely experienced players in the pecking order. This was one of the first chances for him to start a league game since our resurgence, by chances I mean when one of the three world class, established and experienced CBs are unavailable.
It was a surprise to see Caceres play, but what the hell eh? Hardly sending shock waves around the globe. And we won 3-0. So no complaints from me.
Sturaro (22) has made 16 appearances this season, Dybala (22) 25 appearances. Pogba (22) also has 25 appearances, Morata (23) 23 appearances. Lemina would likely have played more had he been absent of injuries. None of this suggests we have a problem playing youngsters.
We are not privy to what happens in training. Also, Caceres is highly experienced, and whilst not match fit, how else is he meant to get match fit unless he gets games? Same can be said of Rugani of course, yet I trust Allegri to gauge his demeanour and from the player himself, all we have heard is dedication to the cause and acceptance that he must wait for his chance, which will come. As the season wears on and fatigue begins to take toll on the muscles of those in front of him.
We have won 8 games on the trot. Pogba, Marchisio, Dybala, Mandzukic, Zaza, Sandro, Evra, Lichsteiner and the CBs are all finding great form (bonucci was a little unbalanced in December yet seems to have pulled his socks up). Plenty more reasons to be cheerful than scornful or bothered.
Who cares about making Caceres match fit. He is leaving the club. It is supremely more important to implement Rugani into our rotation. The decision is ludicrous.
I care about getting our best players fit and then focusing on giving the second string enough minutes to help them gain readiness to step into the breach when needed…Had we lost the game and Caceres at fault for the loss, I could perhaps join your chorus, but we played well and won handsomely. Which is all I ever want for the team…
This is the exact problem. It’s not always about fielding our best XI. At home against Verona we can afford to give other players some minutes. If this wasn’t the time for Rugani to get a chance then what the hell would he want to stay with us for. This has been a recurring problem with Juve for the 30 years I’ve followed them. We have lost Coman. We are potentially losing Berardi and Rugani. This just in the span of a year. It’s ridiculous.
If and it remains a huge if, Conan turns out splendidly, the profit of 27m softens the blow for me. Pays for much of Dybala, who may well become one of the finest strikers in the game. He wanted to leave, so we measured his potential, then let him go.
Not sure what you mean about losing Berardi…The player has often seemed reluctant to talk positively about rumours of his move to Juve. Perhaps he is truly at heart an interista, yet I believe some of our former stars grew up as such yet still were wonderful for us. I cannot see what more we can do with him…We bought a stake, let him stay where he was happy. Perhaps broached his move to us last Summer, and before, but he was adamant he wanted to stay at Sassuolo, so we continued to forge good relations with his club (upcoming Sensi/Lo Celso combinations and likely vrsaljko in the Summer. Ensured we kept our option on him at a set price.
Whether we sign him or not, I do not see him as a loss. A very talented player, who this season has not yet been able to produce decent form, yet clearly has amazing potential. Yet the players will must be taken into account. We clearly want him, hence our investment and option. So it comes down to whether the player wants us.
Losing Rugani? All signs from the player suggest he is working hard and learning much. All signs from Allegri are that he sees Daniele as the future of our side. I cannot see us losing him.
In the 25 years I have been following Juve, Henry could be seen as a loss, yet never really bothered me, for we made success without him and I enjoyed him in the premiership, concluding that italian football was simply not for him. Other than which…perhaps missing out on Verratti, yet in his place, Pirlo was able to leave us with some beautiful performances.
Coman had done so very little for us, admittedly not given many chances, yet hardly looked a world beater.
For some, Del Piero is the most gloriously talented player of our recent history. Was worked into the team at 19 , playing 11 times in his first season…
Yes, Italy has a culture of the top sides failing to put faith in youth ,at least in comparison to other countries. Yet that trend has been bucked of late, and we now have the succession planning in full force, with a good mix between experienced stalwarts and hungry, talented youngsters.
If Rugani gains 15-20 appearances this term it will be a decent start to his Juve career. Who can say? Perhaps we will lose Barzagli to injury and he will get a chance with a series of games and then own that spot, as happened when Marchisio got injured and Pogba came in a few seasons back.
More evidence to confirm we will put faith in youth when we need to, but when we are winning, and the fine form is built upon a platform of one of the strongest defences in Europe over the last four seasons, I am not going to complain of a 21 year old failing to earn games.
Should have included some serious incentives though. Coman has the potential to become world class. €27m for world class is a steal.
agree wholeheartedly. His agent has no business making these comments. When Ogbonna and Caceres were unable to break up the BBC grouping, how can he expect a player in 20’s, regardless of how much promise he shows, to do so ? Impossible. There is a VERY good reason why we have won 4 titles in a row – It;s not Pirlo’s passes and it’s not Tevezs’ goals. It lies in the bedrock of the defence which functions perfectly as a unit.
not to say that Rugani can;t eventually fill Barzagli’s shoes,,,,but for now, all he can do is watch, listen and learn….and i am 100% sure that is exactly what he is doing…..all the while, his agent whips up controversy where there is none. He has his own interests at heart. A move to Napoli would ensure a nice fat paycheque for the moneygrubbing whore, and i have been assured by more than one person that his agent is a classless POS.
Rugani will likely rid himself of the fool soon enough and spend the rest of his long career at Juve.
Utter foolishness from these agents who are no different to the italian press that give oxygen to their words.
Football agents…….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFaFCYyYzqk
Rugani should be given a chance…