Tuttosport 28/05/99 : Interview with Gianluca Zambrotta
MR. ZAMBROTTA, YOU COULD SAY: SORRY FOR BEING LATE. IT'S BEEN MONTHS THAT
YOUR TRANSFER WAS ANNOUNCED BY JUVENTUS.
"I have to tell you that it's been hard, because I didn't play well and
there were strange rumors on my account. Fortunately, all went well and
Bari wasn't relegated. Now I can concentrate on Juventus."
HAVE YOU TALKED WITH ANCELOTTI?
"No, I met him the last week of the season, we presented to each other and
that's it. We didn't go into details, there is plenty of time."
YOU ARE A WINGER.
"I can play on the right and on the left, I can stay further up or further
down. With Bari and the Italian National team I had different roles."
BUT YOU ARE MORE OFFENSIVE MINDED...
"I think so, but I can also defend. A moder player has to know different
positions. I'm a flanker, 10 meters ahead or behind doesn't really matter."
MR. ZAMBROTTA, YOU PROBABLY WON'T START IMMEDIATELY, YOU MIGHT TAKE SMALL
STEPS BEFORE BECOMING AN ACTUAL STARTER.
"It's the right thing to do. I can start from the bench, a great team has a
lot of excellent players, so it's normal that some of them come off the
bench. I'm not arrogant and I know that it takes time."
CONSIDERING THE PREVIOUS HISTORY OF WONDER KIDS, THE IMPACT WITH JUVENTUS
MIGHT DESTROY...
"Sometimes it happens. But I can't forget that two years ago I went
directly from Serie C to Serie A with no problems. I hope to adapt in the
least amount of time."
YOUR MODELS?
"I think of Pel� and Maradona, although they are a bit outdated and too
difficult to compare with..."
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU ARE A BLACK AND WHITE FAN?
"Ever since I was a kid, I rooted for Juventus and for my hometown team,
Como. It seems like a dream come true, even though I realize that the
hardest part has just started. From July onward."
YOU MIGHT TRY TO GET USED WITH JUVE WITH YOUR INTERNATIONAL TEAMMATES,
PESSOTTO, CONTE, INZAGHI, STARTING MONDAY IN COVERCIANO.
"I already had the chance to speak with them and they were really helpful.
They are great players, but down to earth."
PEOPLE SAY THAT YOU ARE SHY...
"It's not true. I'm a normal kid and a bit reserved, which is different
from being shy."
MR. ZAMBROTTA, DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE JUVENTUS' MOST EXPENSIVE PLAYER
EVER?
"No, but it's a responsability to be part of Juventus and to win for
Juventus. I was told that you only play to win here."
Interview by Vittorio Oreggia [Tuttosport 28/05/99]
