Fabio Quagliarella believes Juventus can fight for the title against Inter, if they can find the ‘best’ of striker Dusan Vlahovic. Quagliarella gave a lengthy interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport, explaining why he decided to quit playing when it became clear that Sampdoria no longer wanted him. He also touched on this seasons title race, as well as one of his career highlights at the Stadio Maradona, where the crowd rose to salute him:
In the championship, does he see Juve fighting for the title?
“They have this advantage, said in quotes, of not playing in the cups and it’s not a secondary thing. And then they have found defensive solidity, I think it is fundamental, certainly the match against Inter on Sunday will make many things clear even if the Nerazzurri are a great team. If Juve also find the best Vlahovic they will play until the end. Even Napoli and Milan, however, if they find themselves…’.
Speaking of the Rossoneri.
“Milan play certain games and when you see them play you say: ‘Man what a spectacle’, like in the Champions League with PSG. Perhaps compared to the past they have a less important bench, from the outside I have this feeling. Before you had Ibra, even though he might not play. And then some of the starters aren’t doing well, it’s obvious. But let’s not say in November that they’re out of the race…’.
Was the end of your career at the Maradona, on 4 June, with a stadium on its feet applauding you, a sort of compensation for a tormented love affair with your people?
“I tell you this. When the calendars came out, I saw the last match at the Maradona. ‘Madonna mia’, I thought. It was a sign of destiny, I thought, but to arrive on that day with Napoli as Italian champions after 33 years, and thinking back to the welcome they gave me… it was something that caught me off guard, with that plaque that I received under the curva… Afterwards, in my cold mind, I thought that if I had written the script for that day it wouldn’t have been so perfect. The only flaw, and it was no small thing, was that on that day my Samp said goodbye to Serie A. A day, however, so special that it ended up in a…. painting’.
Explain further.
“In my house I framed the last jersey, the last boots, the last captain’s armband, the pennant, the shin guards used that day.”
Your greatest joy, however, remains to be remembered today for human, before footballing, values.
“True. For me it’s the most beautiful compliment. When you take off your jersey, what remains is the man and what you have sown. I’ve worked my way up from Serie C to A to the national team and that makes me proud. Everywhere I’ve gone I’ve received certificates of esteem. They applauded me even where I didn’t play, like at San Siro, at Cagliari, at Parma. I grew up having serious people like Maldini, Costacurta, Del Piero, Cannavaro, all decent people, as examples of life. I was top scorer at 36, but at 40 I was still trying to improve. It ended like that, but I said it, I have no regrets.”
