Federico Bernardeschi spoke with Gazzetta dello Sport about his time in MLS, as well as the prospects of a return to Italy in the future. The former Juventus and Fiorentina winger offered his thoughts on the upcoming SuperCoppa in Saudi Arabia, the Serie A title race, and catching up with his former teammates:
“I was at the Stadium to watch Juventus-City,” Bernardeschi recounts. “It’s always a great emotion. The affection of the people, the atmosphere, it’s all special. I met John Elkann, and it was wonderful to witness such an important victory for my former team. I will always feel like a Juventus fan.”
Reflecting on his recent season in Canada, Bernardeschi describes it as his best since moving there. He participated in the All-Star game and finished with 9 goals and 8 assists playing as a wingback. His team narrowly missed the playoffs and lost the Canadian Cup final on penalties.
Discussing Serie A, Bernardeschi sees two or three teams capable of competing for the Scudetto. He views Inter as the frontrunner, with Atalanta performing exceptionally well. He also mentions Napoli’s potential to challenge if they overcome their critical period in February-March.
Regarding Juventus, despite their current points deficit, Bernardeschi believes they will fight until the end. He acknowledges the difficulties of their new cycle but has faith in coach Thiago Motta’s ability to build something important for the future.
Looking ahead to the Supercoppa, Bernardeschi expects a determined Juventus. “For many players and also for Motta, it will be the first opportunity to win a title: I’m sure they will give their all. At Juventus, I learned that in every competition, you start to win,” he states.
Bernardeschi praises Dusan Vlahovic, who has scored 12 goals this season despite facing criticism. “At Juve, you have to be used to it: it happened to everyone, even Ronaldo. Dusan must continue like this and prove his worth with numbers. He’ll finish with at least 20 goals. And when it counts, he knows how to be decisive, as in the Coppa Italia final. I expect him to be a protagonist in the Supercoppa,” he predicts.
The former Juventus player also expresses his admiration for young talent Kenan Yildiz: “I like Yildiz, who is only 19 years old and already wears a very heavy shirt without being crushed. The number 10 is not easy to wear, I took it in Florence too. Kenan has the mindset to become a symbol of the new course.”
