Gagliardini: Inter Milan’s old captain Handanovic is a role model. I’m only 31 and don’t want to retire yet

October 11th Verona midfielder Gagliardini, who once played for Inter Milan, was interviewed and talked about the difficult period he spent after becoming a free agent, his feelings about joining Verona, the team's performance and personal life.

You immediately won the hearts of Verona and the fans when you burst into tears due to injury on your debut against Cremona.

At that moment, many things came to my mind. I had a few bad months last summer when you can't find a team and when you train alone. While these moments can make you stronger, they can also leave a mark on you. But at the end of the day, I arrived at a club that was very ambitious and, most importantly, felt like my home because it was very similar to my hometown of Bergamo, with passionate fans and unparalleled loyalty to the jersey. Those born in Verona support Verona, those born in Bergamo support Atalanta. So I understand what it means to play in a team like this, a small or medium-sized team with Champions League-level fans.

During your time as a free agent, did you ever think about retiring?

No, I am only 31 years old. But I do find myself thinking... there are not many opportunities in Serie A, the rosters in Serie B are full, you have to go abroad, and you have families and kids... where do I send them to school? What kind of future can I give them? What should I do if I go to Australia? Going by yourself or with your family? There are a lot of complications that make you a little mentally uneasy. Then, Verona's call came...

Except for the game against Lazio, the team always performed well, but did not score many points. Is this just the last step?

Giovane and Orban should be left alone. They are all very good forwards and help us a lot in terms of offensive and defensive organization. And then we have Thrall and Mosquera, who are also working very hard in training. There is also the young Ajayi, who performed well in the Italian Cup. All in all, we have a lot of offensive options. In these cases, it's not just about scoring goals. When we step on the pitch, I can feel the presence of the team, we are playing, we are creating chances. However, we need to work on the defensive details and organizational level. Then it's up to us to turn the game's chance factors in our favor.

What do you think of head coach Zanetti?

He is a very smart head coach who understands different moments in the game and knows how to communicate with his players. It's not easy to do that in English, but I must say, his message always hits the spot. And also the sporting director Soriano, the architect of the team and our indispensable reference point. And President Zanzi also cares about the team very much. He will be at the training ground and in the stands. He is very involved in the results of the games, which makes us happy.

Who is your career role model?

I learned something from everyone except Papu Gomez. I've had the privilege of working with many championship players, each with their own unique aspect. If I have to name two names, it would be Handanovic, the captain of Inter Milan, who has extraordinary charisma; and Sinner, who is a role model and idol. With his charisma and professionalism, he achieved extraordinary results. I didn't watch much tennis before, but since having him, I'm a super expert now.

Have you ever returned to social media that you had given up on?

No, it has been two years now. There is no better choice than this.

Are you still involved with your wife in that charity project dedicated to helping people with disabilities?

Of course. When we got married, we donated all the gift money we received to them. Later we also opened a branch in Dalmine, where I live. This is something we are very proud of.