Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has used his Instagram page to thank fans for their support after it was announced that he will miss Saturday's Champions League final against Barcelona because of injury.
Juve released a statement on Thursday which confirmed that Chiellini had missed the morning's training session due to a calf problem that will keep him out of the final in Berlin.
The statement said Italy international Chiellini underwent tests after reporting discomfort in his calf and the scans "revealed a first grade tear of the soleus muscle in his left leg, meaning the defender will miss Saturday's final."
The news is a huge blow to Serie A winners Juve -- for whom Chiellini has played a key role this season -- and to the player.
In his Instagram message, he wrote: "Good morning to everyone. Thank you for the many messages of affection I have received.
"Playing in the Champions League final is a dream that, like me, millions of children have had, but destiny is sometimes weird.
"I had immediately realised the importance of the injury.
"I hoped to be wrong or to be able to recover in record time as I have already done other times, but this time it was really impossible."
Goodmorning to everyone, here my idea for #UCLFinal #JuveBarca
A photo posted by Giorgio Chiellini (@giorgiochiellini) on
He praised his Juventus colleagues as "great men and players" who would "show the world the grit, the strength and the determination I would have put into this final, and all together will be able to achieve this dream."
And he concluded: "My friends, I will be with you tomorrow to cheer and suffer for only one goal... WIN THIS CUP!
"Winning is not important, it's the only thing that matters."
Victory over Barca would give Massimo Allegri's Juventus a first Champions League trophy since 1996.
And former AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini, who has lifted the trophy five times, said there was no reason why the supposed underdogs could not triumph.
He was in the 1994 Milan side that stunned Barcelona 4-0 after being widely expected to lose, and told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Everybody said that Barcelona were going to win it easily. For me, no [there cannot be favourites]. I never felt inferior to anybody."
But he said Lionel Messi "tips the scales in Barcelona's favour," adding: "He does incredible things and it's crazy how quick he is.
"But Juve are the best in Europe at defending as a team, and they're going to have their chances. And it's always better to face such exceptional sides because, if you beat them, it becomes an epic triumph."
Maldini said he would be supporting Juventus and wanted Gianluigi Buffon to lift the trophy, explaining: "He's the best goalkeeper of the past 30 years -- an icon of world football."
Information from ESPN FC correspondent Ben Gladwell was used in this report.