Torino striker Duvan Zapata touched on the recent incident involving Juan Jesus and Francesco Acerbi: ‘How long have we been talking about the same problem?’. The veteran striker was speaking with Corriere della Sera about his career to date, the move from Bergamo to Turin and the ongoing problem with racism in Serie A:
“The decision to join Torino was sudden, made in the final days of the transfer window. The club’s strong desire for my presence and the sense of importance they instilled in me convinced me. Though it wasn’t easy to change everything so suddenly, I know now that I made the right decision,” Zapata revealed.
Reflecting on his 11-year journey in Italy, Zapata expressed his contentment with life in the country, particularly praising its quality of life compared to his native Colombia. “I’ve been here for 11 years, I feel good, I like everything, especially the quality of life: a significant difference from Colombia, which I adore. However, there’s a concrete possibility of staying in Italy even in the future. My family stayed in Bergamo, also because we have our own house there, built as we wanted after many years of renting. My son Dayton is 9 years old and was born in Naples. Left-footed, he plays as a striker. A future center forward for Italy? Who knows, why not?
“Acerbi and Juan Jesus? I’ve observed and followed the case from afar. Racism? It’s everywhere, not just in Italy. It takes a lot of intelligence… to live with it. Obviously, certain things need to be brought to light, declared as Juan Jesus did. But how many years have we been talking about the same problem? Do you think it can improve, and instead… At the root, there’s a lot of ignorance; it’s a delicate issue. Fortunately, I’ve never been a victim of racist insults. I explain to my children that all men are equal, regardless of race or skin color. I tell them that people shouldn’t be discriminated against based on physical appearance; behaviors matter.”
“Getting into Europe? It’s definitely talked about in the locker room. We’re aware of our position in the standings. We go onto the field with much more confidence in our abilities. I won’t hide. We certainly think about Juventus, we have that game in mind. It’s important for the club, the fans, for all of us. We’ll study them, try to understand how and where to hurt the Bianconeri.”
“Inter? The Nerazzurri are the strongest, they have been all season, it’s evident: they deserve the Scudetto. My podium for the top scorers? Lautaro first of all. Then, Thuram and Lukaku. Even though my absolute favorite doesn’t play in Italy anymore. Edin Dzeko! Too strong, a magnificent striker, complete in every aspect. I followed him since his days at Wolfsburg. Who’s the defender who annoys me the most? De Vrij. Who would I like to have alongside me on the field? Calhanoglu, he always looks ahead, extremely skilled at finding his strikers vertically.”
