Fiorentina's Fagioli says he 'cried for Juve' after axe

Nicolo Fagioli said that Fiorentina helped him to restore his smile after a difficult end to his time at Juventus. The Italian midfielder was the latest addition to the Tuscany side in the January transfer window, arriving on loan from 'La Vecchia Signora' after being frozen out of Motta's squad.

Following his gambling addiction scandal in 2023, which saw him sidelined for seven months, Fagioli returned to action hoping to rediscover his form and forget about that dark period of his life. However, he could not find space under Thiago Motta, appointed at the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

With the former PSG midfielder at the helm, Fagioli saw limited time on the pitch, starting just seven of his 22 appearances in the first half of the season. The circumstances led the 22-year-old to leave the 'Bianconeri', the club he had begun his professional football career with.

"I spent 11 years at Juve. When I decided to leave the club in December I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders," he told 'Corriere della Sera'. "But when it came time to say goodbye, I cried. It was a hard blow. That day I realised that a long chapter of my life had ended. It was traumatic."

Nevertheless, Fagioli admitted that he is happy with how things have turned out, showing gratitude to Fiorentina for giving him a chance to prove himself. "Fiorentina welcomed me with love. Other clubs wanted to sign me, Marseille was one. But I ended up here. I'm happy here."