MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI SAYS he will take a year away from football after being sacked by Juventus due to neglecting aspects of his private life over the past 16 years.
The Italian wants to spend more time with family and friends after his tenure in Turin ended following mounting pressure during the 2018-19 season.
Juventus still won Serie A under Allegri’s guidance but were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-final stages by Ajax, prompting widespread calls for the head coach’s dismissal.
And despite some talk he could do a job swap with Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, with the former Napoli boss seemingly poised to replace him at Juve, Allegri has confirmed his intention to take time away from the sport.
“I am going to take a year off to recharge the batteries and take my personal life back in hand, rediscover after many years the affection of my family, children and friends,” Allegri said at an event on leadership in Milan on Thursday evening.
The last 16 years have felt like being in a blender. You have to take time away from what you usually spend with family and friends.
“I’ll use this year to recharge my batteries ahead of the next season.”
Juve have dominated Italian football since Antonio Conte delivered the club’s first league title since 2003 in 2011-12.
They have now won Serie A eight years in a row with their ascendency having continued since Allegri joined from AC Milan in 2014.
Before his four-year spell at San Siro, the former Livorno and Napoli player had spells in charge of Aglianese, SPAL, Grosseto, Sassuolo and Cagliari, having gone straight into management after hanginng up his boots in 2003.
Allegri will follow his predecessor Conte in taking a year away from the game with the former Italy boss having only just been appointed Inter head coach after leaving Chelsea in 2018.
And although The Old Lady’s next head coach is yet to be announced, the club is already making transfer plans.
Technical director Fabio Paratici has reportedly flown to England for talks with Manchester United over Paul Pogba, who left Serie A in 2016 but has been tipped for a move away from Old Trafford this summer.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
