Lazio cult hero Paul Gascoigne believes that his good relationship with the fans supporters helped Alessandro Nesta become a success in the capital after the youngster broke the Englishman’s leg in training.
It greatly angered fans that the 16-year-old Nesta had injured their hero although ‘Gazza’ revealed that he had words with the fans to help smooth things over for the player who would go on to become a Scudetto, Champions League and World Cup winner.
Gascoigne said: “When I was in Italy I suffered a serious injury in training when Nesta broke my tibia and fibula when he was only 16 even though it was my fault because I was trying to kick the ball with great force and I was screwed.
“I was loved by the Lazio fans and they wanted to kill Nesta and I told them to leave him alone.”
Despite recent incidents overshadowing his return to Rome for the meeting of two of his former clubs, Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur, in the Europa League, he admits that the club will always be in his heart.
He said: “Lazio and the Curva Nord will always be in my heart.”
