Chiesa: ‘Difficult season with Juventus, but now I’m focussed on the national team’

Federico Chiesa admitted it hadn’t been an easy season on a personal level or for the club after returning from a gruelling 10-month injury lay-off and a turbulent year off the pitch for Juventus, but insisted that his full focus for the meantime is on success with the Italy national team.

The 25-year-old ended the season on somewhat of a personal high, grabbing the only goal of the game during Juve’s 1-0 win over Udinese at the Dacia Arena on Sunday evening.

However, after the club’s 10-point deduction in Serie A was confirmed by the FIGC Court of Appeal in May, the Bianconeri finished seventh in the table with a final points tally of 62, only enough for a spot in the Conference League next season.

Speaking to Sky Sport after the final whistle on Sunday and before hearing the result of the Roma game, which ultimately ruled out the possibility of a Europa League spot for Juventus, Chiesa admitted: “I’m happy with the goal, depending on what happened in Rome I hope to get into the Europa League. Let’s see what happens.

“We would have been in the Champions League, they took away our points, which affected our focus. But our championship, in terms of points, was done. With the penalty we were playing for something else.”

Had Juventus finished the season on 72 points instead of 62, they would have finished in fourth, behind Inter on goal difference.

Having been injured for the majority of the first half of the season, Chiesa admitted that it hasn’t been the easiest of seasons on a personal level

He told the cameras that 2022-23 had been: “Very difficult for me. I returned after a long time, 10 months, it wasn’t easy. Let’s see. Now let’s think about the national team, then come back here and do well.”

Chiesa will join up with Roberto Mancini and his national teammates for the Nations League finals later in June, beginning with the semi-final against Spain in the Netherlands on Thursday, 15 June.