Former Juventus defender Danilo has opened up about his departure from the Italian giants during his presentation at his new club, Flamengo. The Brazilian, who spent five and a half years in Turin, shared his thoughts on the recent struggles at Juventus while expressing his enduring affection for the club.
Speaking at the Maracanã stadium before Flamengo’s 2-0 victory over Sampaio Corrêa in the Rio de Janeiro State Championship, Danilo reflected on his time in Italy: “Juventus was probably the most important club of my career. I built a wonderful story with the fans, players, and the city, where I was very happy for five and a half years.”
However, the 33-year-old defender didn’t shy away from addressing the difficulties he faced in his final months at the club: “In recent times, with internal changes and certain planning, they probably understood that I wasn’t suitable, but not for football reasons. This bothered me and made me suffer. From the moment I had this difficulty, which had nothing to do with my abilities on the field, I realized it was time to seek new horizons because this was making me suffer a lot.”
When asked about the reasons behind the recent struggles at Juventus, Danilo was diplomatic but pointed: “I suffered a lot, but I don’t think it’s worth naming names. I wrote a letter where I spoke from the heart, which says a lot about what I think of Juventus at this moment. I support and will support them for the rest of my life because there were incredible and magical moments.”
The Brazilian went on to express his concerns about the club’s current direction: “Juventus has always been family, it’s always been one for all, it’s always been about attention to detail and the human aspect. And this has been a bit lost in the last six months, and I believe that the latest results and events are largely due to the loss of this identity, the family, the attention to detail, the care for the human side of the players and the people who work there. If they return to this path as soon as possible, the results will return.”
Despite the challenges, Danilo remains optimistic about his new chapter at Flamengo. He praised the Italian school of defending and expressed his versatility: “Centre-back is a position I’ve learned to master completely, having played for several years in Italian football. In Filipe Luís’s team, many of the build-up actions go through the centre-backs, so that’s what I like to do. I like to build, find the timing, direct the game.”
As Danilo prepares for his new adventure with Flamengo, where he’ll wear the number 13 shirt, he looks forward to reuniting with familiar faces like Filipe Luís, Gérson, and potentially facing off against old teammates in the upcoming Club World Cup.
