The behavior of Paolo Montero, former Juventus defender and current Juventus Primavera coach, is causing much discussion.
During the last match against Sassuolo, played on March 4, he instructed his young players not to return the ball to their opponents, who had previously kicked it off the pitch because one of their teammates was down.
This led to a goal by Juve Primavera, a goal that ultimately proved useless, as Sassuolo won 2-1. However, this sparked a lot of controversy, especially after the images were shared on social media by Sportitalia.
The controversial incident occurred in the 80th minute of the match, with Sassuolo leading 2-0. Sassuolo defender Simone Cinquegrano fell to the ground, apparently due to a light contact.
He may have suffered from cramps. A teammate kicked the ball out of the field to allow the medics to enter: Cinquegrano was taken off. The game resumed with Juventus in possession of the ball, as Montero clearly ordered his players not to give the ball back to Sassuolo, despite the protests of the opposing goalkeeper, Daniel Theiner. After two passes, the goal by Juventus' Francesco Crapisto arrives. While the Juve Primavera players celebrate, Emiliano Bigica, Sassuolo's coach, shows his displeasure with Montero.
The post of the match received a mixed response on social media. While some people criticized Montero for his decision, others argued that the gesture was in the context of the fierce competition that characterizes the sport. Despite the controversy, no penalty was imposed against the coach.
Article published on March 7, 2024 - 18pm
