Gentile: ‘Juventus defending made me so angry, I turned off the television’ | OneFootball

Lloyd Kelly’s marking when Juventus lost to Parma made legend Claudio Gentile so angry he ‘had to turn off the television. You don’t see people marking properly anymore.’

The former Newcastle United man was widely considered to be at fault when Mateo Pellegrini nodded in the decisive goal for Parma to beat Juventus 1-0 on Wednesday evening.

The situation irritated many Bianconeri fans, none more so than World Cup winner Gentile, who has marked some of the greatest in the game’s history.

“I watch every Juventus match, but often I don’t manage to get to the 90th minute. I get so angry, I have to turn off the television,” Gentile told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“The last time it happened was on Wednesday, against Parma. When I saw how Kelly was marking Pellegrino for the goal, I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

Gentile furious with Juventus flops

Italian soccer player Claudio Gentile defends on Argentine professional football player Diego Armando Maradona (1960 – 2020) during Group C – second stage match Italy vs Argentina at Sarrià Stadium, Barcelona, Spain, 29th June 1982. (Photo by Bongarts/Getty Images)

Juve dropped down to fifth place in the Serie A table, overtaken by Bologna, and caught in the standings by Lazio to put even their Europa League qualification spot at risk.

It is all too much for Gentile, who won the 1982 World Cup with Italy, as well as six Serie A titles at Juventus from 1973 to 1984.

“I see very little of the real Juventus, the kind that I know. Perhaps Kenan Yildiz, a real talent who I think l’Avvocato (Gianni Agnelli) would’ve liked, but he’s not enough,” explained the legend.

“The rest just leaves me bitter, like the results. In my day, we had figures who from the start would tell lads, this is Juventus, there are certain things you cannot do. It is a different club.

“Juve is a unique side for its winning mentality. When I was there, finishing second was almost a tragedy, now they are clinging to fourth place.

“They should at least be challenging for the Scudetto and not be so far from the top.”

PARMA, ITALY – APRIL 23: Igor Tudor head coach of Juventus issues instructions to his players during the Serie A match between Parma and Juventus at Stadio Ennio Tardini on April 23, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Thiago Motta had started the season with some big investments, but even the arrival of Igor Tudor last month has not improved matters by much.

“There were such high expectations last summer, but it gradually disappeared. I am not the only person to think this, but many of the fans I speak to daily,” added Gentile.

“The coach is always the first to pay, so quite rightly Thiago Motta was sacked. He managed to combine good football with results at Bologna, but Juventus is a different club, you need to win here.

“There were also a lot of mistakes on the transfer market. I don’t like to name names, but some are clear for all to see.”

Would Gentile be in favour of keeping Tudor for next season, or bringing Antonio Conte back from his tension at Napoli?

“Antonio is a winner and he knows Juventus like few others, so his return would be positive. It’s always useful to have people who know how to explain to players where they are and the jersey they are wearing.

“Giorgio Chiellini also has the Juventus DNA and deserves to be part of this club now. He was one of the last great defenders, you don’t see people marking properly anymore, they only want a centre-back to start play.”