Fabio Cannavaro has hit back at critics and insists he “did not run away from Juventus” after their demotion to Serie B.
The defender was one of several star players who opted to walk away in the summer of 2006 after the Calciopoli scandal broke out.
Fabio Cannavaro has hit back at critics and insists he “did not run away from Juventus” after their demotion to Serie B.
The defender was one of several star players who opted to walk away in the summer of 2006 after the Calciopoli scandal broke out.
Others, such as Gigi Buffon, Pavel Nedved and Alessandro Del Piero, decided to stay and win back their status with promotion to Serie A.
“I did not run away from Juventus,” assured the World Cup winner on Radio 2.
“I simply asked to be sold abroad. I took this decision along with the club, who were selling players in package deals.
“Many were sold off for pittance, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Patrick Vieira, but it’s wrong to say we ran away.”
Many Bianconeri supporters have not forgiven Cannavaro for leaving in their hour of need, rejecting talk of an Ibrahimovic return next season too.