The name Massimo Cellino will always elicit a shudder for Leeds United fans, who remember his time at the club for the bizarre episode it was.
Well, Cellino is still hard at work being a bit strange while owning football clubs and having an impact on Italian football, with Gazzetta dello Sport covering comments from him today.
They’ve held a small interview with the Italian in which he’s largely shared his thoughts on Juventus and how he thinks should be dealt with at the Italian giants.
One of the issues is the future of youngster Kenan Yildiz, who has been making waves for them after breaking through this season and becoming something of a fan favourite.
Whether he remains at Juventus long-term is up for debate, though, with several sides in Europe reportedly keen on him and their need for money meaning that a sale is entirely plausible this summer.
“He is 18 years old; he is a talent and… he is a Taurus, a sign that attracts money,” he said.
“If I were his president, I would agree some nice match bonuses with him. Half a fixed salary and the other half in bonuses.
“I don’t always look at the zodiac signs, but sometimes I pay attention to them. Instead, I’m always very superstitious. I avoid purple. And on the 17th of the month, I no longer buy players.”
Those comments should resonate with Leeds fans, who can perhaps now understand some of the strange transfer decisions that were made at their club under Cellino’s reign.
Of course, they’re no strangers to Cellino and his superstitions, with the club having once axed Paddy Kenny as he had been born on the 17th, a date Cellino does not like. Similarly, he once ordered a matchday program to be dated 16b to avoid using the number.
It’s all a bit wild but each to their own, and fortunately for Leeds, this kind of drama is very much in the past and now something they can look at and chuckle.
