Di Livio Slams Chiesa’s Liverpool Move and Blasts Juventus Squad Quality

FolioPitch.com – 29 October 2026 | Former Juventus and Italy midfielder Angelo Di Livio has delivered a scathing assessment of Federico Chiesa‘s career choices and the current state of the Bianconeri, insisting that Di Livio Chiesa made mistake joining Liverpool Juventus players unworthy of jersey in a wide-ranging interview with Retesport. The 58-year-old, who won the Champions League and three Serie A titles during his time in Turin, believes Chiesa’s stalled spell at Anfield represents a significant misstep for a player he still rates highly.

Chiesa, who joined Liverpool from Juventus in the summer of 2024, has found minutes hard to come by on Merseyside. Despite flashes of his old self, the winger has managed just five goals and five assists across 51 competitive appearances, accumulating only 1,194 minutes of football over more than two years. Di Livio argues that such a talent should not be warming benches in England.

A Talent Being Wasted at Anfield

“Chiesa made a mistake joining Liverpool,” Di Livio said bluntly. “Someone who is able to play football like that doesn’t just lose his talent. He needs to be recovered, but I would sign him, seeing as he can play on both wings.” The former Azzurri international, who earned 40 senior caps for Italy, suggested that a return to Serie A—specifically under Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma—could revive Chiesa’s fortunes and restore his place in the national team setup.

Roma have been linked with a January move for the 28-year-old, and Di Livio believes the Giallorossi would be an ideal destination. “Under Gasperini, Chiesa would get back into the Azzurri side,” he added, highlighting the coach’s track record of revitalizing attacking players. The sentiment echoes growing frustration among Italian football observers who feel Chiesa’s prime years are being squandered abroad.

Juventus Squad Under Fire

Di Livio’s criticism did not stop with Chiesa. The former midfielder turned his attention to his beloved Juventus, declaring that the current squad lacks the quality and character required to wear the famous black-and-white stripes. His comments came in the wake of a dismal 2-0 defeat to Genoa in midweek, a result that has intensified scrutiny on head coach Luciano Spalletti.

“The squad is poor, there are players unworthy of wearing the Bianconeri jersey,” Di Livio stated. “I never thought I’d see the day when players in Turin can lose and nothing happens, it’s all so calm.” The remark captures a growing unease among Juventus supporters accustomed to a culture of accountability and relentless winning. Di Livio, who also lifted the Coppa Italia, Intercontinental Cup, and two Italian Supercopps during his Juventus career, knows exactly what the jersey demands.

He was careful not to place all the blame at Spalletti’s feet. “Before thinking it is only Spalletti’s fault, and he does have some responsibility, I would look at the quality of the squad that has been built,” he said. The implication is clear: recruitment and squad construction, rather than coaching alone, are at the heart of Juventus’s malaise.

The Wider Implications

The timing of Di Livio’s remarks is significant. Juventus are navigating a turbulent season, and the former winger’s assertion that Di Livio Chiesa made mistake joining Liverpool Juventus players unworthy of jersey resonates beyond Chiesa’s individual situation. It raises questions about whether Italian football is losing its ability to retain and nurture top talent, and whether the allure of the Premier League is blinding players to the risks of limited playing time.

For Chiesa, a January exit may be the wisest course. At 28, he should be entering his peak years, not languishing on the periphery of a Liverpool squad stacked with attacking options. A return to Italy, particularly under a coach like Gasperini who has a proven record of extracting maximum output from forwards, could reignite a career that once promised so much.

For Juventus, the message is starker. Di Livio’s claim that there are players “unworthy of the jersey” is a damning indictment of the club’s recent transfer strategy and squad depth. The Bianconeri hierarchy must confront uncomfortable truths if they are to restore the standards that defined the club during Di Livio’s era.

Conclusion

Angelo Di Livio’s outspoken intervention serves as a wake-up call on two fronts. First, it underscores the urgency for Federico Chiesa to reconsider his Liverpool adventure and seek a move that prioritizes regular football. Second, it exposes the uncomfortable reality that Juventus, a club built on winning and accountability, currently lacks both the quality and the mentality to uphold its proud tradition. Once again, the assertion that Di Livio Chiesa made mistake joining Liverpool Juventus players unworthy of jersey captures a dual crisis of individual career management and collective club identity. Until both are addressed, Italian football will continue to ask what might have been.