Italian journalist Michele Criscitiello discussed what he described as the ‘war’ between Juventus majority owner John Elkann and his cousin Andrea Agnelli.
When legendary Juventus president and Italian businessman Gianni Agnelli passed away in 2003, his grandson Elkann emerged as the main heir.
But since the 49-year-old had always been interested in business rather than sport (or at least football), he entrusted Agnelli with Juventus in 2010.
It didn’t take Andrea long to lead the club towards new heights on the domestic level. Under this tutelage, the Bianconeri won an unprecedented nine straight Scudetto titles.
However, his achievements were undone following a series of sporting, legal and political blunders, which eventually forced him to resign in November 2022 before being slapped with a sporting ban.
Elkann then replaced Agnelli and the old board with some of his close collaborators, including Gianluca Ferrero and Maurizio Scanavino, but this hierarchy hasn’t been able to guide the club in the right direction or connect to the fanbase.
Andrea Agnelli & John Elkann embroiled in family war?
Interestingly, Criscitiello believes that Elkann wasn’t too fond of the winning dynasty built by his cousin who now wishes to return to the club.
“Elkann is not a football man and is also failing the second chance that he gave himself,” wrote the journalist in his Sportitalia editorial.
“He hoped for the disasters and failures of his cousin, he put his finger in where it was not needed and did not enjoy the years of triumphs.
“Agnelli had his mistakes, of course. Who doesn’t make mistakes in 10 years of football? But he had brought Juventus back to the top. Starting from zero or minus one.
“Then he made some wrong football and political choices and paid a very high price for being betrayed from within.
“Today, Andrea would like to return because, unlike his cousin, he loves football and knows it well. Returning, however, under family control wouldn’t make much sense. The war would continue and Juventus would always pay the price.”
Elkann’s two choices
Criscitiello thus believes the two men can no longer coexist at the club, so Elkann must either hand the reins back to Agnelli and leave for good or sell to a third party.
“Today, Elkann has two options, not three. Bring his cousin back and say goodbye to football once and for all, or sell Juventus, since no one has the passion and competence of the old Agnellis.
“He should rule out the third option on his own: move forward with this senseless project. Juventus must always be a winner and never experimental.”
