During the club’s Coppa Italia festivities, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri reportedly insulted the club director and told him to leave.
In recent months, Allegri has taken a lot of heat for Juventus‘ conservative style of play. And it’s not only because of their recent poor play; in their last fifteen Serie A matches, the Bianconeri have managed just fifteen points.
Thus, the Coppa Italia Final was more than just a match for boss Massimiliano Allegri. It was an emotional rollercoaster that might mark the beginning of the end of his tenure at the Allianz Stadium. The 56-year-old endured a night of frustration, confrontation, and poignant moments. All of these painted a clear picture of a coach aware that his days with the club are numbered.
As the final minutes of the match ticked away, Allegri’s temper flared. His vocal frustration was directed towards the referee and the fourth official, a precursor to the events that would unfold in the following hours.
Despite the tension, Juventus clinched their first trophy under Allegri’s second spell. However, the victory did little to soothe the coach’s simmering frustrations. Cameras saw the Italian coach, after the final whistle, making a hand motion that seemed to suggest “out, out” and pushing someone to go.
According to the video, he was targeting Giuntoli, the director general of the Bianconeri. It’s him who reportedly wants to remove Allegri to recruit Thiago Motta from Bologna for the next season.
In response to questions on the event, he casually dismissed them. “Nothing happened, I was celebrating with the crowd and the players”, he told Sport Mediaset.
“I respect the club, I respect the men and had no problem with anyone. I just wanted to celebrate with the lads, who had an extraordinary campaign. Although we didn’t manage to fight for the Scudetto to the end, we qualified for the Champions League and won the Coppa Italia.”
Despite this, Italian TV images suggest otherwise. They show him making dismissive gestures towards the pair and avoiding the usual post-match embrace and celebration.
While Juventus players reveled under the Curva Sud, basking in the glory of their triumph, the ex-Milan boss stood apart with his staff. He was visibly emotional and struggling to hold back tears. The same emotional restraint was evident during the post-match press conference, where Allegri’s demeanor further hinted at his internal turmoil.
His thinly veiled discontent became explicit when he publicly thanked only his players for their efforts. Amidst that, he conspicuously omitted any gratitude towards the club’s directors. This omission was a clear signal of his strained relationship with the club’s hierarchy.
The tensions spilled over behind the scenes, as per Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio. Allegri reportedly had a heated confrontation with Tuttosport’s editor, Guido Vaciago. He allegedly accused Vaciago of writing what the club wanted.
These actions and words strongly indicate that Allegri is aware of his impending departure. Juventus has already set their sights on a successor, with Thiago Motta being the frontrunner for the position. The club is prepared to offer Motta a two-year contract with an option for an additional year.
Giuntoli, after his first season in Turin, aims to reshape the club according to his vision—a vision that does not include Allegri. Meanwhile, the director of Old Lady has said categorically that the club would not decide the manager’s future until the season is over.
“Every path must be decided in the end, now we are focused on the objectives”, he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
