Claudio Chiellini, Juventus's Head of the Next Gen Area, has strongly defended the club's Under-23 project following the reserve team's best-ever league finish and qualification for the Serie C playoffs. The Juventus Next Gen side, coached by Massimo Brambilla, secured fifth place in Serie C Group A after drawing 2-2 with Bra in their final regular season match and will begin their playoff campaign on May 3.
In an interview with the club's official channels, Chiellini praised the squad and staff for their achievements this season. He emphasized that competing professionally with an Under-23 team presents significant challenges, making the historic league position and playoff berth a source of great satisfaction. The executive highlighted the development of the players as a key success metric, pointing to visible improvements since the start of the campaign.
Chiellini's comments come amid recent debate in Italian football regarding the value of Under-23 teams following the national team's failure to qualify for the World Cup. Some critics have questioned the utility of such projects for Italian football overall. Chiellini, who helped found the Juventus Under-23 setup eight years ago, positioned himself as uniquely qualified to assess its long-term impact.
He argued that the true results of the Under-23 model will be seen over years, not immediately. Chiellini noted that while Juventus pioneered the concept eight seasons ago, other clubs like Atalanta, AC Milan, and Inter have since launched their own projects and are already seeing benefits. He cited players like Atalanta's Palestra and Bernasconi, and Milan's Bartesaghi, as examples of talents developed through these systems.
To illustrate Juventus's contribution, Chiellini provided concrete data. He stated that approximately fifteen players who came through the Juventus Next Gen system are currently competing in European cup competitions this season. Furthermore, he claimed around thirty alumni are playing in Serie A or top international leagues, another thirty in Serie B, and a further thirty in the third division. These players, he said, carry forward the values and professional mentality instilled at Juventus.
The executive concluded by broadening the scope of the project's success beyond just players. He pointed out that directors, coaches, and other professionals who develop within virtuous environments like Juventus's also go on to work elsewhere in football, spreading a positive influence. For Chiellini, the ultimate satisfaction lies in seeing serious, well-developed individuals from the Next Gen pathway finding space and performing across all levels of Italian football, maximizing their potential through technical and character growth.
