Chiellini: The world s interest in Serie A has dropped sharply, we must treat football as a real industry

November 9th Juventus legendary defender Chiellini currently serves as the club's director of football strategy. Although he still sees problems as accurately as he did when he was a central defender in his player days, he has become more calm and sober now. While participating in the Football Business Forum, Chiellini talked about Juventus, Italian football and other related topics.

About Juventus

As Juventus, our goal is to remain competitive. Of course, financial status must also be synchronized with sports performance, both are indispensable. We want to win but also develop sustainably.

About Serie A

Global interest in Serie A is declining sharply, and governments need to help. We need to build a collective platform that sees football as a real industry, not just a game. Of course, the arrival of a star brings change, but it can also be the result of a successful and engaging product.

About my new role

The way I work has changed. When you're a player you only have to think about yourself, but now you need to think about the big picture. You have 25 "companies" to manage, with different ages, cultural backgrounds, salary levels and personal goals. It is important for everyone to understand that the interests of the team come first and if the team performs poorly, individual goals will be affected. I took on a new challenge where I was not only focused on things on the pitch, like training and games, but also representing the club.

About the relationship between financial balance and club youth training

Through the NextGen project, we have become a pioneer in Italy, nurturing talented players like Yildiz. But there have been other situations where we've had to sell players to balance the books. Regardless, our young players create value. We have to find a balance between young players and top stars to have a strong squad but also maintain sustainability.

About the American football model

It's a completely different world. People go to the stadium for pre-game and post-game activities. It has to do with culture. From the American perspective, our football is an opportunity. They are not just here to acquire players, but for the entire football industry chain. Unfortunately, many people are frustrated by delays in the Italian bureaucracy. For example, Pallotta wanted to build a new stadium, but twenty years later, there was still no progress.