FORMELLO – Luca Pellegrini introduces himself. The left-back, who arrived on the January transfer market, talks about his passion for the colors of Lazio. Now he wants to play, he’s still waiting for his debut. Sarri didn’t launch him, but he knows the player and is waiting for the right moment. In Formello the conference begins the ds The Tares: “We introduce Luca, a young but also highly experienced player. He has played in three or four major clubs in European football. He represents a role in which we needed, as expressed by the coach as well. We satisfied him, even if the player is arrived at the end of the market.I welcome him, he loves these colors so much and his arrival is even more important. Lazio’s growth project? We are at a starting point. We’re talking about a journey that began together with the coach starting from needs. We live in a difficult moment of football at world and European level. We too will try to maintain the high level of the team, but we will try to be careful with expenses. We want to bring young people with great perspectives. It takes time to make them grow.”
Pellegrini’s words
“Before facing Lazio, I always called my friends who knew everything. We joked about it. I feel I have the potential to put Sarri in difficulty, I want to play. I knew Sarri, some concepts remained with me. I respect the coach for how he sees football, we footballers talk and know the coach’s characteristics in a roundabout way. I spent two months with him at Juve, I didn’t see everything. I hope it can be an extra weapon to have lived those two months in Turin. I wasn’t surprised, I already knew many comrades before, but this is a unique group. I settled in very well right away, everyone gave me a hand. I knew Romagnoli, Patric, Zaccagni: there was a relationship already before. The others also made an excellent impression on me, we are talking about an important group with many values”.
Pellegrini and the desire to play
“I realized I could come to Lazio on the last day of the transfer market. You talked about it, it’s true, but I don’t read the newspapers much. I’m the new generation, I see the links. I had already made a joke to my agent in the past: “Lazio are looking for a full-back, shall we go?”. The coaches are different and analyze the game differently. I had the good fortune of those two months with Sarri, the concepts are especially important for defense: spaces, slides, distances. I have an advantage, but ask the coach about when I can be ready. I trust him, it was an extra motivation to come here. Touring so many teams makes you have a broad cultural background. At 24 I have already traveled a lot. In Germany I saw another football. Which is not a written law, it can be interpreted in many ways. I carry with me beautiful memories and sensations, I made an important championship at Eintracht. The round of 16 of the Champions League that I also earned… Everyone should have an experience like this. My idol? Until I was 16 I changed all the roles. Then with my role I approached players like Bale, Maldini, Marcelo. Different characteristics, I steal someone from everyone”.
Lazio and the national team
“Sarri’s joke about not playing because I’ve reached the last day of the transfer market? It’s up to me to change his mind. This team has values. I’m having a hard time seeing a flaw, maybe just a little lack of energy, good humour, desire to do well and push. Just the way I am. Maybe I’ll play some music in the locker room (laughs, ed). My family? There was no talk of this business, all superstitious. There are many rumors and I said to be careful. Otherwise one gets hurt. Of my arrival I have begun to realize now. This conference will make me fully aware. TO at home, in the family, my friends are all from Lazio: they welcomed the news like a fairy tale. The blockade of the Italians? One good thing. But regardless there are strong players. The national team is the dream of all children, like playing for the team you support. Here I have to reconfirm myself, I want to stay. Italy is a point of arrival, I hope to go there. A goal from a free kick? I have to play first… I go forward step by step. But I don’t think Milinkovic leaves me one to beat (laughs, ed). The derby? An important match, in the end, however, is worth 3 points. There will be some emotions that I think I can handle by now. Roma is my past like Juve, Cagliari, Genoa, Eintracht. It will be an ex match like any other.”