The Italy national team manager, Roberto Mancini has admitted that Italian football will miss Giorgio Chiellini as the defender prepares to leave Serie A and international football.
He has spent the last 17 years of his career at Juve and it is the same time he has been on the Azzurri team.
Chiellini has just played his last home game for Juve, but he would play for Italy in their upcoming match against Argentina and probably the Nations League fixtures before hanging up his jersey.
Mancini has relied on him since he became the national team’s manager and believes the defender can still play at the highest level.
But he also admits every player knows his body. The former Manchester City manager said, as quoted by Calciomercato: “It is a great disappointment, he was an important player, a decent boy and an important figure for all of Italian football. Time passes for everyone and the choices must be respected, but I think he could still play at high levels and play some important games. But everyone knows his own body.”
Juve FC Says
Chiellini has played football at the highest level longer than anyone would have expected and he remains a legendary figure for both club and country.
However, he would not play this game forever, so it is best that we allow him to leave now so we can move on and find a replacement.