Marchisio: I don’t regret not playing with Ronaldo

Zenit midfielder and former Juventus man Claudio Marchisio spoke to La Stampa about his farewell from Juventus but also touched the topic of Ronaldo’s arrival at the club and what his children told him about the Portuguese phenomenon.

 “Serie A? It is much better than we say it is. The evolution is huge and goes beyond the Ronaldo factor. Napoli have grown, Roma have proved their character, despite the alternating trend, while Inter are seeking continuity. The rivals are growing, even though Juventus are ahead by many years,” he said.

 “Disliked not to play with Ronaldo? My children scolded me: ‘Daddy, he is coming and you are leaving?’ Everyone treats Ronaldo like a Hollywood star and has absurd pressures that are hardly seen in the field.

 “My farewell? It was the moment, after so many years in Turin in which I gave my all. Finding each new season in the same environment, with the same people is hard, improving consistently in one team is difficult.

 “The Champions League? An unlucky draw? Juve cannot afford to see it this way. If I will regret if Juventus win it this year? Maybe for a second, I will be sorry, but I am a Juventus fan. I won so much with the shirt that there can be no regret,” Marchisio concluded.