Felipe Melo evaluates the Galatasaray vs. Juventus match

Felipe Melo, who played for both Galatasaray and Juventus, shared his thoughts on the critical Champions League matchup and memories from his football career. In an interview with an Italian newspaper, Melo detailed his regrets from his time at Juventus and his experiences during those years.

Reflecting on his days at Juventus, Melo said, “I had regrets about many things, too many things. For example, at Juventus... I was a young kid at a giant club that wasn't yet used to winning. The club needed to develop further structurally. In fact, my cost was very high and expectations of me were very high. However, I am grateful to fate for wearing the Juventus jersey; it was a school of life for me.”

Regarding his departure from the team, he noted that although the then-head coach Antonio Conte wanted to take him to the team's training camp, he chose to leave, and he was happy that Juventus went on to win consecutive championships afterward.

The Brazilian player emphasized that he chose Galatasaray despite offers from France, stating: “Even though PSG wanted me, I was lucky to find Galatasaray. I don't regret choosing Turkey: Istanbul is a massive city and the Turkish people have extraordinary passion.”

HE DESCRIBED HIS DAYS AT JUVENTUS

Sharing a memory with his former Juventus teammate Chiellini, Melo stated that they have left their past disagreements behind. “When I saw him at the Club World Cup, my intention was to argue harshly, or even get into a violent fight. We didn't agree on many things at Juventus. But when I saw him, he immediately hugged me and showed how humble he was. The past is in the past. He apologized to me, showing extraordinary humility; whereas I was the one who should have taken a step back,” he said.

Melo expressed that he sees Juventus as the favorite in the Champions League play-off round: “They love football in Turkey. Just like in Rome and Naples. When things go well, they chase you to take photos. Juve is the favorite to advance in the Champions League compared to Galatasaray because Galatasaray doesn't have a 'European DNA.' I think Juve is stronger overall. But Istanbul will be a battlefield; have you seen how they made life difficult for Manchester City and Bayern Munich?”

Touching upon the unforgettable 2013 Galatasaray-Juventus match, the experienced footballer said, “The Juve of that time was very strong. They were already seen as the group winners, but they finished the group in third place. We bonded in the dressing room, but Galatasaray had already made them feel what kind of team they were in the first match. The 2-2 score in Turin gave clear answers about our value, but that Juve didn't understand it.”

'THE MATCH AT OUR HOME WAS VERY STRANGE'

Drawing attention to the conditions of the historic match played in cold and snowy weather, Melo commented, “The match at our home was very strange. The snow, the terrible pitch, the fact that we had to play a part of the match on another day... Everything was strange, not just for Juve, but for us too. Winning against Conte's team was the peak, but the Galatasaray of that time wasn't as strong as it is now.”

The Brazilian also shared his goals after his playing career. Mentioning his desire to become a head coach in the future, Melo stated that he aims to have his teams play with possession and that what he learned from Roberto Mancini and Cesare Prandelli is valuable to him. On the other hand, he also expressed that he likes the styles of Unai Emery and Fernando Diniz.