Claudio Marchisio reflects on Juve farewell
Italian legend Claudio Marchisio left Juventus upon the expiry of his contract this summer and joined Russian outfit Zenit St. Petersburg in a two-year deal, ending his 25 years of association with the Old Lady.
The 32-year-old has hit the ground running in the Russian top flight and reflects on his farewell at his boyhood club.
“Serie A? It is much better than we say it is. The evolution is huge and goes beyond the Ronaldo factor. Napoli have grown, Roma have proved their character, despite the alternating trend, while Inter are seeking continuity. The rivals are growing, even though Juventus are ahead by many years,” he said.
When asked whether he regrets not getting the opportunity to play with Ronaldo, Marchisio said, “Disliked not to play with Ronaldo? My children scolded me: ‘Daddy, he is coming and you are leaving?’ Everyone treats Ronaldo like a Hollywood star and has absurd pressures that are hardly seen in the field.
The 32-year-old believes that his career had come to s standstill at Turin and he wanted to relish a new challenge.
“My farewell? It was the moment, after so many years in Turin in which I gave my all. Finding each new season in the same environment, with the same people is hard, improving consistently in one team is difficult.
And Marchisio says that he won’t regret if Juventus win the Champions League this year. “The Champions League? An unlucky draw? Juve cannot afford to see it this way. If I will regret if Juventus win it this year? Maybe for a second, I will be sorry, but I am a Juventus fan. I won so much with the shirt that there can be no regret,” Marchisio concluded.
