Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli has drawn significant backlash from a segment of the club’s fanbase on social media. The controversy stems from his decision to share a dinner with several first-team players from rival club Inter Milan during a recent gathering with the Italian national squad.
Some Juventus Fans Angered by Locatelli’s Dinner with Inter and Italy Teammates
The incident occurred following Italy’s 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in a World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday. The Azzurri are now preparing for an away fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday, aiming to secure their spot in the 2026 tournament.
Players from the national team, under manager Gennaro Gattuso, were granted a free evening on Friday, the day after their win. Many were photographed enjoying a meal together at Ristorante Tullio, located close to Italy’s Coverciano training headquarters in Florence.
Among those present were several key Inter Milan players, including Pio Esposito, Federico Dimarco, Nicolò Barella, and Alessandro Bastoni. They were seen alongside Juventus’s own captain, Locatelli, and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur but is rumored to be a transfer target for Inter this summer.
Nevertheless, Locatelli’s decision to dine and pose for photos with players from Inter Milan, Juventus’s most ardent rivals, has provoked considerable anger among many Bianconeri fans across social media platforms.
The already strained relationship between the two Italian giants has been heightened in recent months, especially after a contentious Derby d’Italia in February. During that match, Alessandro Bastoni avoided a penalty for simulation and controversially celebrated the wrongful dismissal of Juventus’s Pierre Kalulu.
On social media platform X, one fan expressed their frustration: “Today’s Juventus is perfectly embodied by its captain. After difficult seasons, he was winning back the affection of the supporters. Then, you see him pictured with ‘those’ individuals who deceived you only a month prior.”
Other comments were equally harsh, with one supporter questioning, “What kind of captain is this?” Another fan posted a scathing remark: “And this is the captain of Juventus FC. Get lost, you despicable human.”
A different Juventus fan controversially labeled Locatelli’s interaction with the Inter players a “crime of friendship.”
Predictably, Inter Milan fans seized the moment to taunt their rivals. Comments included jabs like “the worst player in the world surrounded by the strongest,” or a slightly more welcoming, “Welcome to Inter 2026-27, Locatelli.”
However, not all Juventus fans concurred with the widespread condemnation of the Locatelli photo. Some argued that branding their captain a ‘traitor’ simply for dining with international colleagues was an absurd overreaction.
“Supporters like you are precisely why we haven’t achieved anything for years,” one fan retorted in response to a critical post.
Another comment read: “It’s hard to find a more foolish post than this, yet here it is. It’s another illustration of how a segment of the Juventus fanbase has declined even further during these recent winless years.”
An Inter fan sarcastically chimed in, suggesting: “During their next national team camp, perhaps he should only speak with Cambiaso and Gatti to maintain the dressing room harmony. Poor Kean, however, will be left talking to himself, as he has no Fiorentina teammates present.”
