Juventus’ farewell night had two very different faces, those of Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala. The defender had announced his decision to leave after Cup final lost to Inter and, although he has not yet decided whether to hang up his boots, he has lived this moment with great serenity.
He played the first 17 minutes (one for each year of his career as a bianconero) against Lazio and had tributes before, during and after the game. The club dedicated a special shirt to him, videos, a huge tifo (“Chi3llo”) and a light show in an official farewell context, which the Italian always passed with a smile on his face. At 37 years old, after 17 seasons, 19 trophies and 560 games, the time had come.
The Dybala thing was something else. The story with Juventus did not end as he wanted. That was already known and the Argentine, on Sunday, wrote it clearly on Instagram: “I thought we would be together for even more years.” Juventus, after months of negotiations, decided not to renew his contract, which expires on June 30. And the Argentine, despite his 291 appearances, 115 goals, 48 assists and 12 titles, he did not have an official farewell act from the club. A gesture that was missed.
It was the tifosi and the companions, then, to dedicate to Dybala the tribute he wanted. Vlahovic, with whom he had a special connection, dedicated his goal to him with a “Dybala Mask” and hugging him. La Joya received several ovations during his last lap and the rest of the team, later, threw him into the air at the end of the act for Chiellini, a gesture that unleashed the Argentine’s desperate tears, almost inconsolable. Rarely have we seen a footballer cry like this with so much career ahead of him.
Dybala, at 28, can still write important pages, but his idea was to do it at Juve, the team that made him a star. It could not be by decision of the club and Andrea Agnelli suffered the same fate as Aurelio De Laurentiis during Insigne’s goodbye: every time his face appeared on the giant screens, whistles came.
The Argentine finished his night with his new friend Vlahovic. The two sat on the grass of the now empty Allianz Stadium and chatted, perhaps, about everything they could have achieved together. The next time they cross paths, they will be rivals.