Ex-Juventus man Claudio Marchisio has revealed that he rejected Milan twice during his career. “I would never have gone to another Italian club.”
Marchisio made almost 400 appearances for Juve before his free transfer to Zenit St Petersburg last year, and the former Italy midfielder looked back on his career with Gazzetta dello Sport.
“My adventure was at the finish line, but the transfer market was closing and I thought I would stay,” he explained.
Ex-Juventus man Claudio Marchisio has revealed that he rejected Milan twice during his career. “I would never have gone to another Italian club.”
Marchisio made almost 400 appearances for Juve before his free transfer to Zenit St Petersburg last year, and the former Italy midfielder looked back on his career with Gazzetta dello Sport.
“My adventure was at the finish line, but the transfer market was closing and I thought I would stay,” he explained.
“The club decided to terminate my contract. For me it wasn’t easy, but I wanted to change clubs.
“In hindsight I could say that there have been so many injuries in midfield, so maybe I would’ve found space.
“However, it would’ve been wrong to stay. I wouldn’t have been able to go through another year like the last one.
“After the bad knee injury I picked up in 2016, I had no other physical problems. I was hoping for a few more opportunities, but I always put the group in front of the individual.
“I gave so much, but Juve gave me so much in return. I have no regrets. In football, like in work and love, there are so many ways to end stories.
“Ultimately I consider myself lucky for the cards I was dealt. I lost two Champions League Finals and one European Championship Final, but I’m happy to have won seven Scudetti.
“I remember when I signed my first contract with Andrea Agnelli. It was during the years when we kept finishing seventh.
“I told him: ‘I hope you don’t want to be one of the few Presidents who won nothing, just as I don’t want to be one of the few juventini to have won nothing.’
“I rejected Milan twice. I’ve received so many offers during my career, both from abroad and Italy.
“For me the most important team besides Juve have always been Milan, but I would never have gone to another Italian club.”