Spanish midfielder Luis Alberto, currently playing for Al-Duhail, recently opened up about his past, present, and future in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. The former Lazio star shared his thoughts on various topics, including his time in Italy and his relationship with former coaches.
Speaking about Lazio’s current form, Alberto expressed his happiness for his former club: “I’m happy for Lazio, I hope they win the Scudetto. They have everything to compete. Inter remains the strongest, then I put Napoli, but Lazio is in the mix. It would be a dream to see Lazio fans celebrate a title. We came close.”
Reflecting on his time at Lazio, Alberto revealed, “I would have liked to play in this Lazio. After all, as I said, I would never have left. In 2016, I had already packed my bags. I never played, and when I came on, I played as a winger. A role I had never covered in my life. So I told my agent that in January I would return to Seville. Without Simone Inzaghi, I would have returned to Spain.”
When asked about his relationship with Maurizio Sarri, Alberto clarified some misconceptions: “We are similar, he said it himself. Ours was a strange relationship, but he taught me how to defend. When he left, they said it was my fault and that I kicked him out of Formello, but it’s not true. I was sorry when he resigned.”
Alberto also shared some amusing anecdotes about Sarri’s superstitions: “We would watch him from afar as he walked towards the video room. The pace was always the same, head down, back curved. Also, he always left a pack of cigarettes with three butts one on top of the other. Don’t touch it. When you did, he would go crazy. Plus, he was fixated on corners.”
Regarding his current situation in Qatar, Alberto emphasized, “I’m not on vacation in Qatar. We are first in the league and in the cup semi-finals. They had already looked for me last year, but Sarri wouldn’t let me go.”
When asked about Lazio president Claudio Lotito’s comments, Alberto chose to remain diplomatic: “It’s a closed chapter. The only note is on the contract renewal: he came to me not to let me go. I’m calm, I don’t want to talk about him or the other one (sporting director Angelo Fabiani).”
Alberto also shared his views on the current state of football: “Today football bores me. There’s no more talent. Tell me a number 10 that’s worth watching. The Ozils, Gutis, Riquelmes, and Valerons are no more. Tactics and physicality dominate.”
Looking to the future, Alberto ruled out a return to Italian football as a player: “No. There is no other club outside of Lazio where I would play. If in the future I should become a coach maybe yes, but my career as a footballer will end here.”
