According to the player's words, Cristiano's departure left a lot of dry eyes among the members of Juventus' squad.

Cristiano Ronaldo's exit from Juventus took almost everyone by surprise, but according to some members of the bianconeri squad, it would have been better for both the team and the player if they had parted ways before that.

Speaking in an interview with DAZN, Juve captain and UEFA Euro champion with Italy Giorgio Chiellini admitted that Cristiano's departure was the best that could happen to Juventus, although he would have wanted him to decide about his future way before his eventual departure.

"Ronaldo left on August 28, but it would have been better for us if he had gone sooner. It was not an easy thing to digest and it was a bit surprising, but it ended up costing us in terms of points won during the first games. If he had left on August 1, we would have had time to prepare better for what was coming, we would have entered the tournament in better shape,"Chiellini said.

The defender went on further to describe the relationship between CR7 and his former teammates, and while there were no complaints about his behavior, Chiellini admitted that the time was right for each party to look out for their interests.

"We had reached a point where Cristiano needed something else. He needed a team that was built around him, because when he finds a team that works that way he can be decisive. We know this because he's proven that during his career and it was the same when he played alongside us," Chiellini stated.

Despite his initial remarks, Chiellini admitted that having Cristiano Ronaldo around would have been good for Juventus this season, especially due to his impressive skills on the pitch.

"There is a rejuvenation plan going on here at Juventus. It is clear that having Ronaldo around would have given us an edge, but it would have delayed the current approach taken by the board and we would have been forced to play thinking about right now rather than thinking about the future," Chiellini concluded.