“There are two things that annoy me in this sport: warming up and hearing about Fantasy Football,” said Atalanta star Josip Ilicic.
The 31-year-old has had an impressive season, helping his side reach third place, where they have the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
The Slovenian international arrived in Italy in 2010 when he left Maribor for Palermo and has built up a steady and solid career in the peninsula over the years.
“There are two things that annoy me in this sport: warming up and hearing about Fantasy Football,” said Atalanta star Josip Ilicic.
The 31-year-old has had an impressive season, helping his side reach third place, where they have the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
The Slovenian international arrived in Italy in 2010 when he left Maribor for Palermo and has built up a steady and solid career in the peninsula over the years.
However, it is with Atalanta that his personality has emerged, with teammates and even Coach Gian Piero Gasperini joking about his grumpy demeanour.
“There are two things that annoy me in this sport: warming up and hearing about Fantasy Football,” Ilicic told the official Atalanta YouTube channel.
“People go on as if it was us, footballers that came up with the idea of Fantasy Football. We play for our clubs, for the fans and ourselves and that’s it.”
This season Ilicic has been one of the main protagonists for the Nerazzurri as they reached the Coppa Italia final for the first time since 1996 and has been recently linked with a move to Napoli.
“I started playing football around 25 years ago and from that moment I knew I wanted to be a footballer. It was my older brother who got me into it.
“I’ve had the number 72 shirt since my time at Palermo because I arrived in Sicily on the 27th, and that was the number I had when I signed my first professional contract in Slovenia. Unfortunately, Javier Pastore wore the number 27 at Palermo, so I decided to reverse the numbers and take the number 72.
“I think my best goal with Atalanta was the one I scored against Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League. It was exciting for me, my teammates and the whole city. It was a great finish from inside the box.
“They call me the Professor now, but my nickname has always been JoJo, it’s the name my Mother calls me too. At first, I’d hear a teammate shout ‘Hey Prof!’ and think they were talking to a member of staff rather than me.”
Atalanta boss Gasperini revealed recently they have another nickname for Ilicic: Nonna (Grandma).
It’s because the Slovenian has a tendency to moan about feeling tired constantly.