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On social media, Juventus fans contested their captain’s choice to share a free evening in the national team with the players of the rival team par excellence

Have dinner with your national team teammates one evening to ease the tension ahead of the World Cup qualifying playoff final against Bosnia and you will find yourself in the crosshairs of fans on social media. This is what happened to Manuel Locatelli, captain of Juventus who ended up in the vortex of criticism from his supporters for sharing the famous fried steak from the “Trattoria da Tullio” in Montebeni, on the hills of Florence, on Friday evening with four of the five Inter players called up by Gattuso. The fault? Having had himself photographed alongside Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Dimarco, Nicolò Barella and Pio Esposito. And it matters little that Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was also there, injured but present in Coverciano to support his teammates.

locatelli and the photos with the Inter players

It all started from a social post by the restaurant owner, Paolo Bacciotti, who, as usual, shared images of his guests’ evening. And so, especially on X, heavy criticism arose against the Juventus midfielder. The main accusation? Having shared a moment of relaxation off the pitch with the players of the rival team par excellence, but, above all, with that player, Alessandro Bastoni, who, on the occasion of the last direct confrontation, by accentuating a contact, had caused Kalulu’s expulsion. On the other hand, the relationship between the Juventus fans and their captain has always been conflicted: only with difficulty and thanks to a series of great recent performances, under the guidance of Spalletti, has he managed to transform whistles and groans into standing ovations, finally entering the heart of his fans. “Inappropriate to say the least”, write the most polite. “Crime of friendship with Inter players”, replies those who defend him. So, although he seemed to have convinced everyone on the pitch, Locatelli returns to rock the Juventus world.

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