Absolutely the protagonist within the historic conquest of the primary Champions League to the clamorous farewell: the sudden exclusion of Gianluigi Donnarumma is additional proof of how, in trendy soccer, even a number one function can’t assure continuity.
This isn’t the primary time a champion has ended up on the margins of their membership: in current and previous historical past, a number of high gamers — for financial, technical, or relational causes — have discovered themselves having to say goodbye abruptly, as demonstrated by the well-known circumstances that we’ll evaluate beneath.
❌ Roberto Baggio – Juventus
The divorce between Juventus and Roberto Baggio stays one of the sensational circumstances of the ’90s. Regardless of being the image of the staff and having simply received the Ballon d’Or (1993) and led the Bianconeri to the scudetto in 1995, the membership — led by Gianni Agnelli and the Moggi-Bettega-Giraudo trio — proposed a renewal with a 50% reduce in his wage.
Lippi, who had simply arrived, wished to give attention to a youthful group and construct the long run round Alessandro Del Piero, who was then an rising star. Baggio refused the brand new situations, feeling marginalized, and Juventus determined to promote him to Milan for round 18 billion lire. The selection provoked the anger of many Bianconeri followers, who noticed him because the staff’s technical chief, but additionally marked the start of the brand new Del Piero period.
❌ Iker Casillas – Actual Madrid
For over a decade, the image and captain of Actual Madrid, Iker Casillas skilled a farewell that was something however serene. After years because the undisputed primary, the arrival of José Mourinho in 2010 modified the stability: tense relationships, technical variations, and alleged friction within the locker room led the Portuguese coach to typically bench him in favor of Antonio Adán and, later, Diego López.
Regardless of the technical change, the state of affairs by no means returned to what it was earlier than. Casillas confessed that he now not felt safe in his function as a starter and perceived a scarcity of belief from the membership. In 2015, after 725 appearances and a wealthy trophy cupboard, he left Actual Madrid for Porto. The farewell was accompanied by a solo press convention, with out teammates by his facet, a picture that deeply affected the followers and remained an emblem of an epilogue dealt with with little sensitivity.
❌ Ronaldinho – Barcellona
Arrived in 2003 from Paris Saint-Germain, Ronaldinho modified the future of Barcelona. Along with his extraordinary expertise, he gave the staff spectacle and trophies, together with two championships and the 2006 Champions League, additionally profitable the Ballon d’Or in 2005. For years, he was the face of the membership and the image of the blaugrana rebirth.
Nevertheless, ranging from 2007, his efficiency started to say no. His bodily situation was now not optimum, and his life-style, characterised by frequent events and journeys, started to create friction with the setting. The arrival of Pep Guardiola as coach in the summertime of 2008 marked the turning level: the Catalan coach, decided to give attention to a brand new cycle primarily based on Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta, thought-about him exterior the technical challenge, as did the membership, which offered him to Milan for round 24 million euros.
❌ Fernando Torres – Liverpool
El Niño Torres, who exploded between 2007 and 2011, was one of the prolific and beloved strikers in Europe. In January 2011, his sudden switch to Chelsea for round 50 million kilos (a report determine for the membership on the time) was not attributable to a easy change of jersey, however to a fracture with Liverpool’s challenge.
Torres revealed that he felt betrayed by the administration and lived the switch as a means to not waste his time and ambitions to win trophies. The transfer to Chelsea was extremely controversial: many Liverpool followers labeled him a “traitor” — to the purpose that some jerseys along with his identify have been even burned — expressing anger and disappointment in direction of a alternative thought-about hostile to the membership’s historical past.
❌ Alessandro Nesta – Milan
Alessandro Nesta, a real pillar of Lazio and captain, represented an emblem for the biancoceleste followers: a product of the youth academy, defensive chief, and winner of quite a few trophies. Nevertheless, in 2002, Lazio went via a extreme monetary disaster that compelled the membership to promote its jewels, together with Nesta. Such a precarious context led to financial strain: the switch to Milan materialized within the final days of the summer season market, for a determine near 31 million euros.
The transfer was so sudden that Nesta himself recounted going from a morning coaching session with Lazio to a night presentation as Milan’s new participant. The deal, along with assuaging Lazio’s funds, considerably strengthened Milan’s protection. The defender instantly discovered his area within the backline and contributed to a historic season, culminating within the conquest of the Champions League and the Coppa Italia in his first yr with Milan.
❌ Sergio Ramos – Actual Madrid
Sergio Ramos, a historic captain and legend of Actual Madrid, left the membership in the summertime of 2021 on the finish of his contract. The farewell was provoked by a distance on the renewal: the membership proposed a lowered one-year contract, whereas the defender proposed a two-year counteroffer. This was added to doubts concerning the sporting imaginative and prescient of the long run challenge.
Ramos perceived a scarcity of consideration from the membership and an irreparable break, accentuated by the distinction with Florentino Pérez. The separation marked the tip of an period, that of a symbolic participant who left the scene after years of management and triumphs.
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This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence.
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