Giorgio Chiellini trolls Tottenham, attributes Juventus win to “experience”

Wanna get righteously indignant? Most of you have probably already seen Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini’s post-match comments after Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss at Wembley Stadium. If not, get ready to get mad: Chiellini basically called out Tottenham’s loss as “Spursy.”

“It’s the history of Tottenham. They always create many chances and score so much but, in the end, they miss always something to arrive at the end. We believe in history. Also yesterday in the game between Real Madrid and Paris Saint‑Germain – the history it’s important and the experience is important.

“Four years ago, we did not have this experience but we have grown up year by year. We believe until the end. We earned our luck. Tottenham had their chances and are a fine team but they’re on the verge of being able to win this type of game. Sometimes, you need that spark, maybe a trophy win. We had our experience and we made the most of it.”

UGH. And the worst part of it is: he’s kind of got a point. Juventus in particular is a highly experienced club that is known for coming back from the dead time and time again. Take this tweet from Ted Knutson, made before kickoff of the match on Wednesday:

Chiellini in particular has been around the block a few times, and he knows that thanks to Juventus’ perennial participation in big games like these in the Champions League they aren’t as liable to get rattled and fall apart. That is something you can point to and say that it gives an advantage, even if it’s a minor one.

Likewise, Tottenham are a club that until Pochettino’s arrival had been labelled “soft,” more likely to hilariously throw away big games as win them. We may hate it, but it’s true: it’s only in the past few years that Spurs have shed the “Spursy” label, and even so there are plenty who will (wrongly) look at Wednesday’s match as further evidence that Tottenham just doesn’t have what it takes to make it at the highest levels of European competition.

But on the other hand, “experience” didn’t make Sonny dribble two great shots just wide. “Experience” didn’t make Kane’s equalizing header bonk off the post, just missing a Juventus player, and roll along the goal line before being miraculously cleared. And “experience” didn’t prevent Spurs from playing Juventus off the park for 160 out of 180 minutes over two matches.

So yeah, Juventus earned their luck. Good job, you won. But damn if I hate hearing it from a schmuck like Chiellini.

Great, now I’m mad again.