In the second part of his exclusive interview with Football Italia, Stefano Sorrentino recalled a childhood meeting with Diego Maradona and said a Milan Scudetto win ‘would be good for Italian football.’
In the second part of his exclusive interview with Football Italia, Stefano Sorrentino recalled a childhood meeting with Diego Maradona and said a Milan Scudetto win ‘would be good for Italian football.’
Sorrentino – who explained how he became the first Serie A goalkeeper to save a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and what advice he’d give to ex-teammate Paulo Dybala – touched on a range of subjects, including meeting Maradona and the 2020-21 Scudetto race.
Who was the best player you ever played with?
“I was lucky enough to play with many great footballers, from Paulo Dybala to Alberto Gilardino, Fraco Vazquez, Enzo Maresca. They are many. When I began my career at Torino I played with [Fabio] Galante and [Marco] Ferrante.”
Was there a striker you feared the most?
“Wouldn’t say fear, football is a sport and I still love it after 44 years. I’ve always seen it as a hobby, not as a job. As a goalkeeper, I’ve always watched the strikers who scored more goals. There were [Antonio] Cassano, Gilardino and in the last period also [Stephan] El Shaarawy. I was one of their favourite victim. I played with Gila, we shared the dressing at Palermo and we often joked about it.”
Fourteen years ago, you were playing for AEK Athens and you beat Milan in the Champions League group stage. They would win the trophy at the end of the season. How did playing abroad help your growth?
“It’s something I suggest to everyone. It’s so helpful. You grow as a man and as a footballer. I played for two years in Greece and one in Spain. I became a better person. When you go to live abroad you have to adapt to a new culture, you are like a guest and I really enjoyed it. It broadens your mind. I had to return to Italy for personal reasons, but I’d have liked to spend more time abroad. In the future, when my daughters will grow up, I’d like to move abroad for a while.”
Where about?
“I am thinking about Barcelona and London, even if they are very different. It’s a dream, maybe it will never come true, but I’d really like to live in one of these two cities.”
Stefano Pioli was your coach at Chievo Verona in the 2010-11 campaign. How has he evolved as a coach?
“I really have lot of affection for Stefano. The mister is an amazing person, he is a different coach now. He evolved and proved he deserves to be in charge a top club. He has a great staff too. You always need it in modern football. He deserves all the good things he is doing. I am proud to have been one of his footballers.”
Do you believe Milan can win the Scudetto?
“If you analyse the teams, they don’t have the same depth of others, but they are playing at very high levels, with a young team. Juventus have been winning the title for the last nine years, maybe it could be good for Italian football to see Milan win with such a young team. It would give a good image of Italian football.”
How about Inter? How are you judging them so far?
“It’s a strong team with a great coach. It’s never easy to win at Inter. They are out from the Champions League and they can play once a week. Probably they are now the number one candidates to win it or, at least, to fight until the end.”
You have a Napoli shirt worn by Diego Mardona. What do you remember of him and you did you get it?
“I was born in 1979, when Maradona arrived in Italy I was a little kid. I think he is the best of all time, past present and future. My dad was so lucky, or maybe unlucky, to play against him and I had a chance to meet him when my father played at Cagliari.
“Napoli trained at the Sant’Elia the day before the match and I met him. I don’t know why I was wearing a Roma shirt, I’m still asking myself. He was my idol and I had a Roma shirt…anyway. I took a picture with him and he gave me an autograph. My dad got the shirt after the game.”
You can pick up three goalkeepers for Italy at the Euro, who do you choose?
“It’s hard, there are many young and strong goalkeepers. I would say Gigio [Donnarumma] then [Hellas Verona’s Marco] Silvestri, he was my teammate, and probably [Torino’s Salvatore] Sirigu even if he is going through hard times, especially as a team.”
Talking about Sirigu, he was rested against Roma on Thursday. Do you think he would leave Torino?
“I don’t know the problems because I’m not there. What I can say is that if you criticise Sirigufor a bad game then maybe I know nothing about football. They should build him a statue for what he did in recent years at Torino.
“Remember, when a team is not doing well, the first ones to be blamed are the coach and the goalkeeper. Classic Italian thing. The goalkeeper is a difficult role and it’s easy to pin the blame on him or the coach, when sometimes there are other problems. I am sorry for Sirigu, I hope things will get solved.”