Hellas Verona’s Mexican star enjoying Italian adventure

Date: 8th November 2014 at 4:14pm
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Hellas Verona’s Rafael Marquez confessed his love for Italian football, admitting that it had always been his dream to play in Serie A after his time ended at Barcelona.

Marquez joned Hellas Verona this summer from Mexican side Leon, where he had won his first Mexican league title since leaving his boyhood club Atlas.

“When I ended things with Barcelona after seven years, I tried for Juventus,” Marquez said in an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“It did not materialise in the end but Italy was always on my mind; I had grown up watching the AC Milan of [Franco] Baresi and the Dutchmen on TV.

“So I accepted the offer from Verona with enthusiasm; I want to stay two years here.

“I get along well with everyone. The group welcomed me and gave me a lot of confidence.

“The goal is to stay in Serie A but we are all confident that this team can do more.”

Marquez also spoke about the standard of defending in Serie A, the opponents he faces and who the league’s best players are in his opinion.

“Definitely, the defenders study their opponents more,” Marquez said. “[Antonio] Di Natale is very difficult to mark for example.

“I also like the striker in Germany, [Ciro] Immobile; but [Paul] Pogba is the best.

“I have struggled a bit with the physicality in Serie A; but Italian football has quality. It is trying to revive and Verona are one of those clubs trying to grow one step at a time.”

The 35-year-old concluded by talking about his team’s weekend opponents, Inter, and was bullish that Verona could get something out of their trip to the San Siro.

“On the field you always go to win and the opportunity is there,” Marquez said. “AC Milan and Inter are experiencing real crises.

“They are not the teams of four or five years ago, but they are still amongst the five best teams in Serie A.

“I really like [Mateo] Kovacic and [Mauro] Icardi in attack is tough as well.”

 

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