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Massimo Cellino is downbeat over Cagliari’s stadium situation, admits he may ‘give away’ other players as he did Radja Nainggolan. The Sardinians’ stadium situation of the past couple of seasons has seen them play across a number of temporary homes, including in the northern city of Trieste, before seemingly finding temporary agreement to return to the Sant’Elia this term.
However, that deal is temporary, says the club’s President this week, and could be about to end.
“I have thrown money at this and I am the only one to have always paid the city, to which I have given €9m for nothing,” Cellino has begun in an interview with L’Unione Sarda published today.
“Three months ago I proposed a new project for a new stadium, provisionally, because I do not have the money for the galactic stadium that the mayor wants.
“But in a few days a letter will arrive from the FIGC. In September there was an agreement that the stadium originally had to be opened to 5,000 fans. The FIGC will send us back to Trieste and I do not want to be here to witness that.
“Twelve months after my arrest, I still do not know why I was arrested. I am being made out to be a criminal, but in 21 years I have never disrespected anyone. I will not take it anymore.”
The President was talking after Cagliari’s 1-0 defeat at Atalanta on Sunday.
“We did not have to lose this game. We did not have to lose and I am annoyed, but not for the defeat - I have returned and seen some backward steps. These guys are exceptional.
“This team is a family and I am like a father to them. Without me, Lopez cannot grow, the guys are nervous. But I cannot stay, because I will not go back to prison. And if I stay here…”
Cellino, on from this, hinted that Radja Nainggolan may not be the last player to leave Cagliari this month and that money isn’t his motivation to selling.
“If tomorrow I was asked about Astori or others, I would let them go. I cannot protect my boys and so I could give them all away, as was the case for Nainggolan.
“Radja was wanted by PSG and Manchester City, but I succumbed to Roma. He did not want to leave, he had to.
“Zenit were willing to pay €25m last summer, Juventus offered €20m and were prepared to let me have him until the end of the season, like with [Fabian] O’Neill.
“And Radja, the next day, came home and extended his contract. But he could not stay here. How can he grow in a team with no ambition?
“He has gone to Roma, on a loan of €3m. There he will grow with champions like Totti and De Rossi, a good Coach and a club that already loves him.
“If I had pocketed €20m, what would we have done?”
magik9113 wrote:Well said. None of the big players will be traded between Inter/Milan/Juve. Even Napoli should be included. Only times this is possible is with players like Matri, Muntari, Pazzini, who are not starters; or special considerations like Campagnaro following Mazzarri to Inter
Maex wrote:This from the Bundesliga thread:magik9113 wrote:Well said. None of the big players will be traded between Inter/Milan/Juve. Even Napoli should be included. Only times this is possible is with players like Matri, Muntari, Pazzini, who are not starters; or special considerations like Campagnaro following Mazzarri to Inter
Might be an interesting topic to discuss in the Serie A thread as well.
Maex wrote:magik9113 wrote:Also, I'm still trying to figure out what the linesman was looking at when he called away Juve's goal
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYA2q01-vp8[/youtube]
Juve's Marotta wrote:"The transfer had already been verbally agreed between the parties, namely myself and Marco Fassone. “Yesterday at 10.48 President Andrea Agnelli received a text message from Erick Thohir giving the all-clear to the move.
“Vucinic is a great professional who helped us to earn two consecutive Scudetti. In the history of football, when a player empties out his locker, it is evident a transfer has been completed. Vucinic emptied his locker. “It is the first time in my 30 years of negotiating players that I’ve seen such a shocking situation. As you can understand, the situation has left Vucinic and Guarin ill at ease.
There are reports emerging this evening that the clubs are back in negotiations for Vucinic to join Inter without Guarin’s inclusion, but Marotta was unimpressed.
“As things stand, I’d say no. President Agnelli tried to contact Thohir several times for clarification, as the Inter directors had made it explicitly clear that Thohir gave the all-clear to the deal. They spoke today and there are still no concrete elements for Vucinic’s potential transfer to Inter.”
Vucinic is now back in Turin, but his agent is looking elsewhere for a move with Arsenal and Tottenham interested.
“It was Inter towards the end of December who asked for authorisation to speak to Vucinic and that is the only reason the negotiations progressed. Inter were not willing to pay cash, so we invented this exchange idea and identified Guarin as a player we wanted. The initiative came exclusively from Inter.
“Inter wanted to contact Vucinic, we agreed, and with no financial details we chose Guarin as giving the best guarantees. We didn’t point a gun to anyone’s head, nor did we imagine handing Vucinic to Inter would be in any way a ‘rip-off.’ He is a great player and if he is transferred, it is only because we have raised the level of competition in the forward line and given Vucinic less opportunity to play.
“We found ourselves in great difficulty with Inter, because we couldn’t understand what happened or get any clear answers. I wouldn’t say Inter are unreliable, but they are lacking in a professionally serious attitude. If we were to sit down with Inter again, we would require an explanation from President Thohir first.
Fiorentina’s injury crisis continues to grow with news Borja Valero will be out for at least two weeks with a thigh strain. The Spanish midfielder underwent tests today that found a first degree lesion in the left thigh muscle.
Viola medical staff confirmed he will have treatment for 10 days and then undergo new tests to see how the situation has developed.
It’s another heavy blow for Coach Vincenzo Montella, who is already without Giuseppe Rossi and Mario Gomez for the foreseeable future.
Borja Valero will certainly miss games against Genoa and Cagliari, while he is also at risk for the Coppa Italia semi-final with Udinese.
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