“A thousand thoughts and a thousand images accompanied me throughout the night. I can't stop looking at this photograph and these strips on which I wrote my life as a man and as a footballer. I love this shirt to the point that, despite everything, I am convinced that the good of the team comes first. Always. On a tough day like today, I cling tightly to this principle. You are the most beautiful part of this wonderful story, which is why in a few days we will say goodbye in a special way. On the other hand, 8 is nothing more than an infinite that has raised its gaze”. With these moving words written on her Instagram profile, Claudio Marchisio, a true black and white icon, said goodbye to Juventus after 25 years in black and white. The news shook the last day of the transfer market, arriving early in the morning like a bolt from the blue, even if in hindsight it could have been in the air: the 32-year-old midfielder, who grew up in the youth team of the most successful club in Italy, was no longer part of coach Allegri's plans, since last season and even more now, with the purchase of Emre Can. He is mainly to blame for the serious injury suffered a couple of years ago, from which Marchisio has never fully recovered. And the fault of increasingly fierce internal competition.
There was therefore no more room for a column from Juventus, the team with which Marchisio has played in the first team since 2006, that is, from the year of Serie B. Then sold for a season to Empoli, the boy born in Turin then collected a entire decade, 2008-2018, in black and white, studded with triumphs and unfortunately by a serious injury that compromised his career, causing him to lose his starting position and also the national team shirt, with which he collected 55 appearances and scored 5 goals. Marchisio and Juventus terminated the contract by mutual consent: in the summer in which they also said goodbye to Gigi Buffon and Stephan Lichtsteiner, he lowers another of the heroes of the seven consecutive championships. Now only captain Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli remain (and the returning Bonucci, who however lacks the last title because he played for Milan). The "Principino" had another two years of contract at 3.5 million per season, therefore his sacrifice frees up an important salary space in the club which from this year will also have to pay 30 million net per season into Cristiano Ronaldo's current account, with whom Marchisio therefore he will not have time to play. Foreign countries are now being talked about for him: American championship in pole position (in the Montreal Impact of former Juventus teammate, Sebastian Giovinco), but also the Middle East and China.
