Juventus centre-back Giorgio Chiellini insisted that his side were fair winners in their 3-2 victory over Inter today, but refused to be drawn on the performance of referee Gianpaolo Calvarese.
Antonio Conte’s side fell to defeat at the Allianz Stadium after Juan Cuadrado completed a brace with a late penalty, after a Chiellini own goal looked to have given them a point courtesy of a VAR call.
Both sides were awarded first half penalties, whilst Nerazzurri midfielder Marcelo Brozovic followed Juventus counterpart Rodrigo Bentancur in receiving a red card.
“It was an important victory, a hard one against the best of Italy because they have proven that,” Chiellini claimed in an interview with Italian television broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, as reported by FCInterNews.it.
“We tackled well, we were team in a way we perhaps haven’t been during this year. The result was deserved, we did not steal anything.
“I wanted to clarify one thing though. We congratulated the Inter players in the tunnel. The rest is exaggerated, and in other years they never did it to us.
“I can’t say what I think (of the decisions), it won’t help. I think it is wrong for players to comment, on the pitch our perception is different. I only speak of the game.
In this season we didn’t not have deserved more, but we’ll try to qualify for the Champions League. Then on Wednesday we are playing for a trophy (Coppa Italia Final) which is always important. At the end of the season we will make all the necessary assessments.”
Juventus have underwhelmed this season under coach and former Bianconeri midfielder Andrea Pirlo, having won the Serie A title in each of the previous nine campaigns, and Chiellini felt they lacked consistency.
“We are missing the continuity. We are perhaps the only team among the top ones to have never had three victories in a row.
“We never allowed ourselves to influence his decisions, there was maximum respect for the roles. We can’t have the same relationship as we had a year ago, for those who are his former teammates we have taken a step back.
“It is clear that we have tried to give our soul as always, maybe even more with him. It is right that there are hierarchies. On his job security, these are answers that I cannot give. It is up to the management to choose,” Chiellini concluded.
