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The Juventus defender reveals Serie A giants were left to count the lost of allowing a talismanic presence to depart late in the summer window.
Giorgio Chiellini says Juventus “paid” for the “shock” of allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to leave for Manchester United late in the summer transfer window.
Chiellini accepting that he would have been better for all concerned if the Portuguese had “left earlier”.
A change of scenery for a five-time Ballon d’Or winner was mooted long.
Before a stunning agreement was put in place that freed a 36-year-old icon to retrace his steps to Old Trafford.
There were, however, just a few days left for Juve to get a suitable replacement on board.
When the Red Devils swooped in, with Serie A heavyweights stumbling out of the blocks in 2021-22 after seeing a talismanic presence removed from their ranks.
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Chiellini said:
“We had arrived at a point in our relationship where Cristiano needed new goals and a team that would play for him.
Because when he finds a team like that he is decisive.
He is proving it in these months and he has also shown it with us.
“Here at Juventus, a programme of rejuvenation and restarting was born.
If Ronaldo had stayed, he would have been an added value, but it is normal that he thought more about the present than the future.
“Ronaldo left on August 28, it would have been better for us if he had left earlier.
We paid something for it, a little bit of a shock, we paid something for it in terms of points.
If he had left earlier we would have had time to prepare better.”
Juventus went winless through their opening four Serie A games this season.
But have now emerged victorious in their last seven matches across all competitions.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has continued to maintain remarkable individual standards at Manchester United.
The most recent came in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Atalanta.
Paul Pogba among those left singing the praises of an all-time great at the final whistle.
He said to UEFA’s official website:
“Cristiano is Cristiano. It’s just a Cristiano thing that he did. It’s like deja vu.
“You’re speaking about Cristiano Ronaldo. Everybody knows. I don’t need to say anything. Everybody knows he’s here.
“He’s a world champion and won the Ballon d’Or for how many years?
He’s the best in the world for how many years, so what can you say about him? Just respect. He shows it on the pitch. That’s it.”
