Zbigniew Boniek criticised Juventus after their 2-0 win at Lecce, saying he does not see a team of champions and does not consider them to be at the front of the Scudetto race. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Boniek made the remarks on Radio Anch’io Sport a day after Juventus' victory at Lecce.
Reaction after the Lecce match
Juventus beat Lecce 2-0, with Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz scoring in the first half as the team moved up to seventh with 14 points. Boniek said: "I see and hear various critics, some who want Conte, some who criticise Spalletti. I’ll just say that when I watch Juventus, I don’t see a team of champions, just good players. And that makes the difference."
View on the title race
Boniek said: "Today they’re not at the front of the Scudetto race, and you can see that in how they suffer in Europe." He also downplayed the win over Lecce, saying: "The first goal came from a free kick, somewhat by chance, with the goalkeeper fooled by McKennie. It’s not as if they dominated. In the past they had more quality."
Comments on Spalletti and his past with Juventus
Boniek also joked about Luciano Spalletti’s way of speaking, saying: "He’s very demanding and particular. I’ve been in Italy for 44 years, and when I hear him speak on TV I have to get the dictionary out to understand what he’s saying." Boniek won the Scudetto and the European Cup during three seasons in Turin in the 1980s.
The Stadium star dispute
Football Italia said Boniek's relationship with Juventus has been strained since the Calciopoli era, when he strongly criticised the management of Luciano Moggi. In 2010, Boniek was voted among 50 former players to receive a star at the new Juventus Stadium. After protests from supporters’ groups, the club suspended Boniek's award and held a new vote, with Edgar Davids taking the final star. Boniek said: "I’m not here to criticise my old team. Without criticising them, they gave me a star at the Stadium and then took it away. I’ll stop there."