Chiellini coy on future after emotional farewell

TURIN, Italy－Giorgio Chiellini bid farewell to Juventus fans on Monday in his last home match for the Turin giant, a disappointing 2-2 draw which earned Lazio a place in the Europa League after Sergej Milinkovic-Savic equalized with the last kick of the game.

Fans chanted "there's only one captain" as a giant choreography depicting his shirt number－3－was displayed in the stands ahead of the match. They then gave Chiellini a huge round of applause after he was substituted in the 18th minute.

The 37-year-old had played the full 120 minutes of Juve's Italian Cup final defeat to archrival Inter Milan on Wednesday, after which he announced that he would be leaving Juve after 18 years at a club where he has won nine league titles and a clutch of other trophies.

"It's been an emotional day," Chiellini told DAZN, adding that he can "still play at a high level".

Following the announcement of his departure from Juve, he said he would think about whether to hang up his boots. He has already retired from international soccer.

"I need to think about things. It's a decision that can't be made in a day," Chiellini said.

When he left the field he handed his captain's armband to another player on the way out－Paulo Dybala.

Argentina international Dybala, who has been at Juventus since 2015, will leave at the end of the season. Juve decided not to renew his contract after a verbal agreement with the 28-year-old struck in the fall was publicly rejected by the club earlier this year.

Dusan Vlahovic performed the Argentine's "mask" celebration when he headed in the opener in the 10th minute, and when Dybala was substituted with 12 minutes remaining, with the host leading 2-1, he did a tour of the stands and was embraced by fans while he tried to hold back the tears.

Juve looked to be cruising to a routine home win to honor its two departing heroes when Alvaro Morata doubled the host's lead in the 36th minute.

However, Alex Sandro poked into his own net five minutes after the break. In the 95th minute, Milinkovic-Savic rifled home from a tight angle to give Lazio a spot in Europe's second-tier competition.

"For next year we will need a few players in order to aim toward the Champions League," said Milinkovic-Savic.

AFP