Milan Badelj believes “for a few years now Serie A has been growing” and feels “sorry” for Croatia teammate Nikola Kalinic.
The midfielder is currently a free agent after his Fiorentina contract expired, but he has been keeping an eye on Italian football and the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“In my opinion, for a few years now Serie A has been growing,” Badelj told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Milan Badelj believes “for a few years now Serie A has been growing” and feels “sorry” for Croatia teammate Nikola Kalinic.
The midfielder is currently a free agent after his Fiorentina contract expired, but he has been keeping an eye on Italian football and the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“In my opinion, for a few years now Serie A has been growing,” Badelj told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Now one of the best ever will be there. It’s a wonderful thing which raises everyone’s level. And Juventus, who have been winning for seven years, can do even more.”
Croatia have reached the World Cup final and will face France on Sunday, while Milan striker Nikola Kalinic was sent home for refusing to come on in the first game against Nigeria.
“I feel sorry for Nikola, he’s a good lad. I’ve known him for 15 years, he may have behaved badly in one moment but he’ll always remain one of us, even if he’s not here with us.”
Badelj also discussed the feeling of being a World Cup finalist.
“I think I’m in a parallel universe!” the midfielder said.
“Sometimes I look at the schedule and go: ‘oh, it’s us who are in the final against France’. It’s crazy.
“This group has been together for eight to 10 years but we always seemed to lack a little bit: one time it would be tactics, another it was concentration, a third time it was the changes.
“This time everything is in place because [Coach Zlatko] Dalic is good and we have great character.
“The legend of 1998 can go to the attic now, we’ve surpassed them. They made history, and now we’re even closer.
“[Davor] Suker, the President, [Zvonimir] Boban, [Robert] Prosinecki; I think they’re more proud than jealous – or so they say!”
The newspaper then asked Badelj if he’d thought of Davide Astori after reaching the final.
“Honestly, not at that moment. I was overcome by other emotions. But I thought about him when I scored against Iceland, and not a day goes by where I don’t think about him.
“He was my best Italian friend.”