Emre Can says that he believes he was not given a "fair chance" to impress new Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri before he was frozen out in Turin, with the Germany international indicating his satisfaction that his career with the Serie A heavyweights is over for good.
The defensive midfielder, who secured a move to Borussia Dortmund back in his home country earlier this year, was an integral part of the Bianconeri throughout the 2018-19 campaign, following his arrival from Liverpool.
However, after Sarri took the reins in the wake of Massimiliano Allegri ahead of the current season, the 26-year-old found himself out on the fringes of the former Chelsea supremo's plans, with the ex-Bayern Munich man omitted from the squad for the Champions League group stages.
With no football across the majority of Europe for over a month now following a continent-wide lockdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Can has now spoken out on how he felt effectively kicked to the curb by his new manager, while expressing his gratitude for the time he spent at Allianz Arena.
This has been a very difficult time for me in the last few months," he told Bild. "Last season I was an important part of the team. We deserved to win the championship and I also played very good games in the Champions League. The new coach didn't give me a fair chance at all but for the most part it was still a great time in Turin, for which I am grateful. This chapter is definitely over."
Can also took the chance to be complimentary of former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who arrived at the club from Real Madrid at the same time as him, with the pair helping to power Juventus to another Serie A crown during their debut season.
"I can say that it's no accident that he's where he is today," he added on the Portuguese. "He's very, very professional. He subordinates everything to football."
Can ended a half-decade-plus exodus from the German domestic game with his move to Dortmund, where he has linked up with another formidable talent of the world game in rising England forward Jadon Sancho, and the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man has admitted to being blown away by the youngster's skill.
"I knew even before I joined BVB that he is a very good player," he noted. "But since I've been here, I know that he's world class. Maybe the best player at his age. He has everything a top football player needs and has a great future ahead of him.