Football
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Giorgio Chiellini on Luis Suarez ahead of UCL final: 'I don't bear a grudge'

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini says he is bored of talking about his reunion with Luis Suarez in the Champions League final, insisting he does not bear a grudge against the Barcelona forward.

Suarez was banned for four months after biting Chiellini during Italy's 1-0 defeat to Uruguay at the World Cup last summer. The two will meet for the first time since that incident in the Champions League final on June 6, but Chiellini insists it is no big deal.

"We beat Real Madrid last week and all that people ask me about is Luis Suarez," he said at a news conference on the eve of Juve's Coppa Italia final against Lazio. "There are no problems as far as I'm concerned. I don't bear a grudge."

Chiellini will be tasked with marking Suarez in Berlin, but he is not planning any special treatment for the Uruguayan.

"I'll mark him just like I marked [Karim] Benzema, and like I will mark [Lionel] Messi, and like I did with Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar like with [Gareth] Bale," he added. "It makes no difference -- just that it happened. The only thing I was truly upset about was getting knocked out of the World Cup."

Indeed elimination in the group stage of a second consecutive World Cup marked a new low in the history of the Italian national team.

But Juventus' form in Europe this season has suggested Italian football could be on the rise again, and Chiellini hopes it continues next season.

"I really hope so," he said. "I think that there has been an improvement and there are positive signs. It's a pity that Napoli and Fiorentina didn't reach the [Europa League] final because it would have been nice to have Italian clubs fighting for both cups.

"Now it's up to us -- and I'm talking about the whole of Italian football -- to continue this improvement and get some continuity. It seems at last that we've realised how important the Europa League, which used to be looked down on in the past, is and I'm convinced that maybe even as early as next year, with everybody's help, we can get back that fourth place in the Champions League.

"It would be a great sign if we were able to win that back again next season."

That would also set Italy up well for next summer's Euro 2016 tournament with Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri insisting the national team also stands to benefit.

"The national team and the Italian league have always followed the same trend and when Italian clubs have done well in Europe, the national team have done well at European Championships and World Cups," said Allegri.

"With two teams almost making the Europa League final and Juve in the final of the Champions League, I hope this can also be a positive sign for the national team."

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