Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini recently reflected on his time playing alongside Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli, forming the iconic “BBC” defensive trio that dominated Italian football and flourished on the continent.
Chiellini, who has returned to the Old Lady in an administrative role, emphasised the strong bond between the three defenders, stating that their partnership was built on a foundation of friendship extending beyond the football pitch, highlighting their immediate connection and how seamlessly they blended as a unit.
“The BBC is a story of a friendship, of a trio that went beyond the individual players,” said the former Juventus captain while chatting with reports during the Trento Sports Festival (via JuventusNews24). “We blended well from the first moment.”
When asked about a moment when they felt truly unbeatable, the 40-year-old recalled the Serie A side’s victory over Barcelona in the 2016-17 Champions League quarter-finals.
He specifically mentioned the second leg at Camp Nou, where the Bianconeri held Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar to a goalless encounter, having secured a commanding 3-0 win in Turin, with Chiellini himself scoring one of the goals.
“That day, we didn’t allow anyone in,” noted the legendary defender. “Against Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the 2016/17 Champions League. They couldn’t get past us at Camp Nou.”
The Super Eagles’ journey to secure a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has been thrown into chaos after a disastrous 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya.
The Nigeria Football Federation has reportedly decided to pull the team out of Tuesday’s crucial qualifier against Libya, putting their AFCON dreams in serious jeopardy.
As the plane was preparing to land in Benghazi, the flight was redirected, leaving the Nigerian team stranded for over 12 hours with no assistance from the Libyan Football Federation.
The lack of transportation and facilities turned the situation into a nightmare for the players and officials, who were left waiting with no food or proper rest.
NFF officials expressed their frustration in a statement, saying, “The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s AFCON qualifier is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing. The situation has been chaotic, and the players are exhausted.”
Ekong voiced his frustration on social media, condemning the treatment by Libyan authorities and questioning the safety of continuing under these circumstances.
“We have been kept in an abandoned airport for over 12 hours without food or proper accommodation. We respect ourselves as a team, and under these conditions, we refuse to play,” Ekong posted.
