‘The Ronaldo move killed him’ – Juventus fans argue over Paulo Dybala’s legacy
Carlo Garganese
- Updated: 12 Jun 2022 21:43 BST
- 9 min read
Juventus star Paulo Dybala is on the brink of completing a controversial free transfer to Inter this summer.
The Argentine attacker’s contract in Turin expires at the end of the month and the club have confirmed that he will become a free agent on July 1.
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Juventus and Dybala had agreed a new contract worth around €10 million a year towards the end of 2021 but pen was never put to paper officially.
Juventus then attempted to change the terms as they were concerned by Dybala’s constant injury problems – he suffered six physical problems in 2021-22.
Eventually, after weeks of delayed talks, Juventus announced in March that they would not be renewing Dybala's contract.
This upset Dybala, who wanted to stay at the club and the 28-year-old famously broke down in tears during his final home game for the club in May.
Dybala is now set to sign a multi-year contract with Inter.
It is a move that has angered many Juventus fans because Inter are the Bianconeri’s bitterest rivals.
The two clubs have been at loggerheads for over six decades, with the rivalry becoming truly poisonous as a result of the Calciopoli scandal in 2006 – with accusations and counter-accusations flying from both sides to this day.
We asked Juventus fans how they will remember his seven years in Turin.
Will he be remembered as a hero after helping the club to dominate Italian football, winning five Scudetti, four Italian Cups and scoring 115 goals?
Or will the number 10 now be remembered as a traitor after deciding to join the eternal enemy Inter after leaving Juve?
Below are a selection of the best and most eye-catching tweets from Juventus fans on twitter.
The majority of Juventus supporters agreed that Dybala had betrayed fans by agreeing to join Inter.
I'll try to forget him tbh, if he joins Inter. It's unforgivable in my book and it will erase all the good he's done for Juve.
— Mark Jacobsen (@Mark_Jacobsen) June 12, 2022
A player I supported even though he never reached the heights we thought and consistency to lead the team. Then he thanked me by leaving for free to the biggest rival.
— jon (@j0nVanVilet) June 12, 2022
Has been my favourite player ever since Del Piero left, but going straight to Inter shows that he never was a Juventino after all. No wonder why the management tried to ship him earlier.
— Andrew Prasana (@AndrewPrasana) June 12, 2022
This for me. We know the reasons but going to Inter now makes him a bum. Shows how his talent is wasted since he has no other offers due to tactical limitations, injury record and inability to consistently press pic.twitter.com/U5mvPyKlDP
— Chris from Wakefield (@ChrisWakefield_) June 12, 2022
In the end a traitor, a liar, a crocodile teared bum. In hindsight, aside from the Barcelona game, he only performed in the small matches. Mostly scoring a goal when it didn’t matter m.
— JuventusNYC (@Gaetanoruvio) June 12, 2022
— Rich (@Pridesano21) June 12, 2022
A smaller group of Juventus fans argue that Dybala should not be considered a traitor because he had wanted to stay at the club and it was the Bianconeri who had refused to give him a new contract.
Additionally, Inter were the only team to table a concrete offer this summer – meaning Dybala had little choice but to accept their offer.
I think it was the right moment for him to leave Juve. It’s really foolish to see him as a traitor - we are in the modern football era - but I would not consider him a hero either.
— AndreaMormandi (@AndreaMormandi) June 12, 2022
Neither.
He didn't do enough to earn the status of legend/hero due to injuries & more specifically, the timing of those injuries at key moments of a season. But he's also not a traitor as the club forced him out. You can't dump your GF & complain when she dates the guy you hate.— Black & White Stripes ⚫⚪ (@b1anconeri) June 12, 2022
Absolutely legend. It wasnt his fault Juve didnt extend his contract. He is a profesional and he can choose any team that fits him best.
— Besnik (@besnikzki) June 12, 2022
As for how Dybala will be remembered for what he did on the pitch during his seven years at Juventus, opinion was split.
Most agree that he failed to live up to his potential, having enjoyed an excellent first two seasons at the club and being tagged as a ‘new Messi’ before struggling for consistency and fitness in later years.
But others still would prefer to remember him as a magical number 10 who provided moments of magic with that beautiful left foot, including the double against Barcelona in the 2016-17 Champions League quarter-final.
A player that didn’t reach the expectations set out for him after his first 2 seasons, in the recent seasons he never was there during the most important fixtures, and made it so that after a disappointment an automatic excuse would be found which was “if only dybala was fit…”
— MO (@MissaktheGreat) June 12, 2022
Another player that was blessed enough to wear the jersey! Better yet, wear the number 10 of #Juve. Thank you and I don’t care what he does in the remainder of his career 🤷🏻♂️
— Ali Aboukhreibe (@TheAliAmak) June 12, 2022
A player that played his part in the decade of dominance, at times a key part & inheriting the number 10 will always give his name significance with Juve. However, his name will always be followed with a but….
— Elio Salerno (@eliosalerno87) June 12, 2022
A Good player, but not a great one. At least not considered his potential. As entertaining as Dybala has been, he’s always been unreliable in the Champions League. Yeah, he’s had Good games there too, but he’s not a leader and has been poor when We need him to step up.
— Daniel Ljungström (@MrDannyBlue) June 12, 2022
Neither. To me he was the great disappointment. He has all of the talent in the world but after Madrid bullied him around in Cardiff, teams figured him out. And he never adjusted or adapted. I wish Juve had swapped him for lukaku a few summers ago.
— Truth Social Junk Bonds Fox (@TheBigFoxx) June 12, 2022
Reality never met expectations, his career was riddled with injuries and inconsistent play. His agent was very unprofessional in this last renewal and he is getting a smaller contract. Serves him right, he is just a another former player nothing more.
— Marco Conte (@MarcoCo55511151) June 12, 2022
Injury prone, inconsistent, massively overrated and now also a traitor.
Honestly cant understand what people saw in him.
Look at the below stats. If i told you one of our ex midfielders (vidal) has a better scoring record in his last 4 seasons, you probably wouldnt believe me. pic.twitter.com/bder37QsIY— Max (@Max95143940) June 12, 2022
One Juventus fan, though, blamed Cristiano Ronaldo for Dybala not becoming the superstar everyone thought he would become!
Er slow… no where near the level of Del Piero or Baggio. I would say Tevez was a more decisive player for us but I wish him the best of luck. The Ronaldo move killed his progression and he never recovered.
— Danny Coles (@DannyColes4) June 12, 2022
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