Cannavaro unconcerned about reaction to Juve return

Fabio Cannavaro is not worried by the reaction of Juventus fans if his move back to the Serie A club goes through.

The Real Madrid defender, whose contract at the Bernabeu runs out at the end of the season, is in talks about going back to Juve despite angering fans when he quit the Turin club in 2006 after they were demoted in a match-fixing scandal.

“Everyone knows that I would return to Juve with joy in my heart because I had two beautiful seasons in Turin,” the 35-year-old told Tuesday’s edition of Turin daily Tuttosport.

“People expected me to stay (in 2006) but I’ve already explained a thousand times what happened. I am not worried, I will definitely talk with the fans.”

The Italy captain had wanted to end his career at hometown club Napoli but their president Aurelio De Laurentiis has said the 2006 world player of the year is too old for a centre back.

Juve were ordered to play their next home league game behind closed doors on Monday after fans racially abused Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.