- The few days off that were celebrated before the New Year were spent in my new house in Pyla. It is near Aosta. Quiet, calm, with the family. I went skiing. Then just a little bit on the cross-country. And he just ran a lot. Kids also mastered various types of mountain descents. Of course, I can ski. But the fact is that before that, the last time I stood on them was 17 years old. Then all. It became a very dangerous hobby for a professional football player ... And on December 31, closer to midnight, I remembered everything that happened in my life in 2006, and threw it out of my head. They won the won scudetto ... Failed World Cup .. My first and last world championship ...
“Have you forgotten those events in Genoa?” (Nedved was disqualified for five matches for deliberately stepping on an opponent in the game on December 1 in stoppage time, scolding and hitting an arbitrator.)
- Mainly. Then so many untruths were said and all this upset me so that in a fit of passion I wanted to completely tie up with football. Believe me, during my career I have seen much more serious misconduct, which entailed milder sanctions. I still think that they treated me unfairly.
“You wanted to say enough.” And yet…
- I came to my senses and thought it would be wrong to end my career this way. Moreover, this would be unfair both in relation to himself, and in relation to Juventus. I could leave. My contract has an expiration date of June 2008. But there is written a condition that gives me the right to say “stop” myself: if I feel that I can’t cope anymore.
- So, it has been decided: will you say goodbye only in 2008?
- Yes. Last summer, I could move to London, to the “Tottenham Hotspur” and not only. But I thought that there wasn’t much point in changing anything dramatically. Here, my family and I feel very good. And even when I finish playing, we will live in Turin.
“What are your immediate goals?”
- There are two of them. First, bring the team to Serie A. And then, next season, return Juve to the Champions League. Of course, we still need to look at the composition of these tasks ...
- What will Juventus need for this?
- That all the stars remain, starting with Buffon and ending with Trezeguet. Next you need to rely on our new management. I think the strongest players for each position should be acquired. Players who are able to compete for a place on the field in every match. With the team that we have now, you can’t even think about the scudetto. It’s not easy to find and take new stars, but if you should spend money properly ...
- But your team is still full of players of the highest level!
“Cannavaro and Thuram behind, for example?” If they are gone, how can they be replaced now? It is very hard to do.
“But these players are already aged ...”
- Yes, they could play for us another five years! And help grow young.
- Buffon said that he would not want to be in series A the twelfth next season ...
- I completely agree with him. I also want to say that if those Juve players who stayed with the team in Serie B decide to leave us, I can only thank them. And nothing else. They already did more than they should.
- And without whom “Juventus” can not do?
- Without Buffon. He is the only football player of this level in our team. Each Juve player knows for sure: if he makes a mistake, our goalkeeper will definitely fix it. If it were in my power, I would have done everything to leave him. Gigi is the strongest of us, he is irreplaceable.
- Has football changed for you after last year’s scandal in Serie A?
- Not. I think Juventus paid for everyone. We atoned for our guilt. And we can move on with our heads held high.
- And how do you like series B?
- Football remains football everywhere. Run now have more. That’s the whole difference. But I personally really miss the Champions League ...
- How are you going to win this championship?
- Having eliminated the head start that our rivals received before the start, we, of course, lowered the sails a bit. Now we are not even the first in the table. We must again take up the matter properly and not stop there anymore. If a team wins during the match, its opponent is more tired. If we always win, opponents often give up before the start of the game. Unfortunately, now “Juve” is not so strong as anyone to win victories with little blood.
- Who has become your head coach in life?
- Lippi. But I was very lucky in this regard: I was lucky to work with Ericsson, Zof, Zeman, Capello ... Only Ancelotti is missing from this list, which I regret. Everything about him speaks very well.
- And Mancini?
- When we played together for Lazio, it was already clear that he could become a good coach. In addition, now he has the strongest team. If Inter get to the scudetto this season, he will have every chance of becoming the team that Juve was. A team that everyone wants to beat. They were already very strong, and we gave them Vieira and Ibra ...
- Do you communicate with Zlatan?
- Sometimes. I never saw him run a lot. He really wanted to move to Milan and was happy when it was possible. Immediately after that, Ibra sent me a photograph on his phone in which he kisses the emblem with a scudetto on a black and blue T-shirt. With my scudetto ...
- On Saturday, Juve will play at the San Siro for the Berlusconi Trophy with Milan. Feeling nostalgic?
- This game, of course, will be different from all others. Each Juventus player wants to prove that even with such a lineup we would have felt great in Serie A.
- Have you already decided what you will do "after"?
- Not. Could train children. Or do administrative work at the club. Or leave football completely. We'll see. Maybe it will take me a whole year of pause to decide what I would like to do in another life.
- Or maybe you will develop your hobby? Have you been addicted to wine recently ...
- Yes it's true. Red Piedmontese and Valle d'Aosta.
- Which brand do you prefer?
- “Barbera” ...
Translation by George BYCHKOV