“I made the decisive mistake” – Chiellini urges Juventus to avenge him against Galatasaray | OneFootball

Juventus Director of Football Strategy Giorgio Chiellini looked back on the club’s previous meeting against Galatasaray, which bears unpleasant memories for the club in general and him in particular.

On Friday, the Champions League play-off draw pitted the Old Lady against the Turkish giants. Luciano Spalletti’s men will host the decisive second leg at home, but will first negotiate a trick trip to Istanbul.

Interestingly, the last time these two clubs met in an official match, Juventus were thumped out of the competition, albeit in controversial fashion.

Giorgio Chiellini remembers controversial Juventus defeat to Galatasaray in 2013

In the 2013/14 campaign, both clubs were placed in the same group with eventual winners, Real Madrid.

While Los Merengues had already booked their place in the knockout stages, the second ticket was hanging in the balance when Juventus travelled to Turkiye on the final matchday.

Antonio Conte’s men only needed one point, but they weren’t able to cling on to a draw. The contest was interrupted by to heavy snows, only to be resumed the following day in somewhat similar conditions.

In the end, Wesley Sneijder scored a 85th winner that eliminated the Italian giants, much to Chiellini’s dismay.

The defeat left a long-lasting sour taste in the legendary defender’s mouth, as he recalls some of the cynical manoeuvres that may have affected the result, although he takes full responsability for the defeat.

“The 2013 precedent? I thought more about Osimhen, but it’s also a good chance to change our last memory of Istanbul,” said Chiellini in his interview with Sky Sport Italia (via IlBianconero).

“One half of the pitch had been treated differently. Then we lost the game ourselves on the pitch — I made the decisive mistake, and I carry that responsibility regardless of the snow. Today the situation is different: it’s a different world, and the two teams are different.”

Giorgio Chiellini (Photo by Sara Cavallini/Getty Images)

Chiellini reckons that Galatasaray represent a difficult opponent due to the quality they possess all over the pitch.

“We must respect their quality; they have top players in every department. We’re aware of our own strengths. If we manage to play our game, our position in the Champions League standings reflects our quality.

“It will come down to the details, but we’ll need to deliver a mature performance in Istanbul and then repeat it in Turin.”

Chiellini returns to his duels against Victor Osimhen

The Juventus director also recalled his duels against Victor Osimhen, who took Serie A by storm during his memorable stint at Napoli, but insists that the Bianconeri didn’t try to recruit the Nigerian bomber.

“Right now I wouldn’t last two minutes against him; in the past I would have liked to. I faced him when my physical qualities were waning, so I had to approach the duel mentally.

“He’s a powerful striker who attacks space and plays with a hunger you rarely see. They have many strong players, some of whom have come through Italy.

“It’s normal for Osimhen to be admired. He’s liked by every club in Italy and across Europe, but realistically there has never been anything more than that.”