“The first person responsible is me” – Comolli makes a mea culpa, promises Juventus reinforcements | OneFootball

Juventus CEO Damien Comolli admitted his responsibility for the team’s lacklustre campaign, which culminated in a failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Before the Derby della Mole, the Bianconeri already knew they were facing a daunting mission. Due to the kickoff delay, their fate was already sealed by half-time, as Roma and Como had already won their fixtures, securing their places in the Top Four.

In the second half, Luciano Spalletti’s men squandered a two-goal lead, as Torino rallied back to earn a point. The 2-2 draw saw Juve finish the campaign in a disappointing sixth place.

Damien Comolli takes the blame for woeful campaign

Throughout the course of the season, many fingers were pointed in the direction of Comolli, who orchestrated last summer’s transfer campaign.

The Frenchman signed Jonathan David, Joao Mario, Edon Zhegrova, and Lois Openda, and none of them proved to be successful signings, to say the least.

Prior to Sunday’s Derby, Comolli gave a frank assessment of the season, admitting he is indeed the main culprit.

“The responsibility belongs to everyone, it belongs to the club, we know that, but the first person responsible is me, for sure,” reckoned the 53-year-old in his pre-match interview with Sky Sport Italia via TuttoJuve.

“Then it’s very important to understand what didn’t work. We know it, it is very clear for Luciano, very clear for me, for the ownership. The only thing now is to build a strong team, with the coach, with Luciano, with a very clear idea of what needs to be done.”

Comolli insisted that the lack of Champions League football won’t have a dramatic effect on the club’s transfer campaign, as they still intend to make top-notch signings.

“There isn’t a Plan A and a Plan B, there is only one plan: to build a team that can win in the future — a near future.

“Whether we are in the UEFA Champions League or not in the Champions League changes nothing.”

Comolli shaken by Juventus fan injury

The match was delayed one hour as it was revealed that a Juventus fan had been seriously wounded during clashes with the police outside the stadium.

Comolli, who monitored the situation closely, revealed that he was shaken by the news, given he was a football fan back in the day.

“Yes, it is very sad. I apologise because when I speak about the supporters, I become emotional — I grew up as a football fan — so I apologise for that. We are worried about what is happening outside.

“It is very sad; this is not what we want to see in football. We are concerned because some supporters have even gone to the hospital and we don’t know exactly what happened. They certainly needed medical treatment, and I will definitely go and visit them after the match. I wish them a speedy recovery.

“Coming here, I received this information — that some supporters had been hospitalised and needed medical care — and my state of mind changed dramatically.”