Former Juventus midfielder Felipe Melo has taken aim at current club captain Giorgio Chiellini.

Chiellini has slammed Melo in his new book, which is being launched this week.

“I'd like to know what incidents he was referring to," Melo replied to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“When I was in Turin, I never lacked respect for anyone: teammates, directors or Juventus in general. At this point, though, I have no respect for him. And I never will have.

“He says Balotelli should be slapped and I am the worst of the worst who always risked sparking a brawl? Well, he was always a coward who'd wet himself…

“Besides, it's too easy to be nasty about someone in a book. Perhaps 'this defender' is still angry with me, because when I went to Galatasaray, we gave his Juve some 'slaps' and knocked them out of the Champions League. Or that Inter won everything and I am an Interista.

“This is what Chiellini is like, he always acts as if he's the greatest… I am also reminded that we beat Italy 3-0 in the 2009 Confederations Cup, won eventually by Brazil. Perhaps he's still bitter about that too, seeing as he's won nothing at international level with Italy."