Former Inter defender Andrea Ranocchia looked back at his departure from the club and explained why he retired less than three months after leaving.
The 35-year-old initially joined the Nerazzurri from Genoa in January 2011 in a deal worth around €13m. He spent 11 and a half years attached to the club, making 226 appearances across all competitions before leaving on a free transfer last summer.
Ranocchia headed to Monza, where he made just two appearances before breaking his leg in a 4-0 loss to Napoli, prompting him to hang up his boots and retire.
Speaking to TMW, Ranocchia first discussed when the idea of him leaving Inter came about.
“After a meeting at the end of last year. On that occasion we said to each other: ‘Let’s see’. They had to plan a season that still had no clear lines and I started to look around. Everything with great calm, as always in these 12 years.”
He was asked if he was considering retiring whilst still with the Nerazzurri.
“Retiring, not really. I felt, however, that I no longer had this great passion for football. I had spoken with Inter at the end of the season and we said that we wouldn’t go on together.
“And I thought: ‘After 12 years, finding a new club, a new enthusiasm, maybe I’ll find new enthusiasm and new motivation’.
“And instead, the feelings were always the same, there was always the half-doubt. Then everything progressed when I got injured.”
The 35-year-old confirmed that his departure from Inter wasn’t related to his decision to retire.
“When we met, the club did not yet know the budget available, they had not yet planned the future…. For me in mid-June, the opportunity of Monza arrived and I said yes.”
Finally, Ranocchia was asked if Inter would’ve offered him a new deal had he waited a little longer.
“This I will never know, when Monza called me I took this opportunity.”