Federico Bernardeschi, former Juventus player now with Toronto FC, has shared his thoughts on the recent changes at his old club and their prospects for the upcoming season. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bernardeschi expressed optimism about Juventus’ new direction under coach Thiago Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.
“When a new project starts, it’s right to make changes,” Bernardeschi stated. “Giuntoli has done a great job, and Thiago Motta is a tough one. We played together in Euro 2016, and you could already see his predisposition towards young players.”
Bernardeschi praised Motta’s coaching philosophy, saying, “He combines football ideas with courage. Age doesn’t matter; if a player is strong, he plays them. Thiago looks at personality and quality.”
The Italian winger identified Kenan Yildiz as Juventus’ most exciting prospect. “The real coup for me will be Yildiz. It’s right to give him the number 10 because he has that something extra that always makes the difference,” he explained. “A player with his class must be left free.”
Regarding Dusan Vlahovic’s potential, Bernardeschi commented, “I’ve always said Dusan is very strong, but you have to put him in the conditions to perform at his best. With a different offensive idea, he can score 25 goals.”
On the midfield reinforcement, Bernardeschi believes Teun Koopmeiners is the missing piece. “He can play all roles, including as an attacking midfielder. He has goals and assists in his legs,” he said.
Looking at Juventus’ title chances, Bernardeschi stated, “This year, the squad is broader and will bother Inter until the end. Inter are favorites because they’ve been established for 4-5 years, but let’s give Thiago time because I’m convinced a wonderful team can be born.”
Bernardeschi also touched on the potential arrival of Jadon Sancho, saying, “The player I saw in the last 6 months at Borussia Dortmund can break the balance. He has the imagination and the play, another Yildiz but moving on the wing.”
In conclusion, Bernardeschi expressed excitement about Juventus’ attacking options, stating, “I’d like to see Nico, Sancho, and Yildiz all together with Koopmeiners in midfield and Douglas Luiz and Thuram alternating. That’s some lineup.”
