Amauri: I’m not finished
By Football Italia staff
Amauri has hit out at his critics and at Antonio Conte’s treatment of him at Juventus, and also revealed the truth behind playing for Italy.
The Brazilian-born striker, who recently ended an almost year-long drought in front of goal, finds himself currently on loan at Fiorentina, having joined the Florence side in January from rivals Juve.
However, the player revealed on Thursday that the only reason he is still not at Juventus is because of Coach Conte’s treatment of him that forced him out.
“I returned to Juventus with great enthusiasm [last summer], but only after two days of training, my great desire for redemption had completely vanished,” reflected the striker in a long interview with La Repubblica.
“I found myself having to train alone at noon, or at two or three in the afternoon under a sun at 35 degrees. I eventually asked the club to allow me to train with the primavera.
“I tried to speak twice with Conte, but it was useless - I never understood the reason for this relentlessness. They treated me as if I had wronged someone, I was rotting as a player in the dressing room, so when I left, it was in agreement with everyone.”
The forward also revealed how he had turned down the chance to play for Brazil before Italy came in for him in 2010.
“I have never regretted having chosen to play for Italy. In fact, now that the affair is closed once and for all I can tell you the truth - I refused to play for Brazil.
“When Dunga called me to replace the injured Luis Fabiano, I said to Alessio Secco, then sporting director at Juventus, I did not want to go because I would wait for the call from Italy. Juventus covered for me and took responsibility for everything.
“Then, when Prandelli called me it was one of the proudest moments of my life - for me to wear the Azzurri shirt is better than to win a Scudetto.
“I have had to make many sacrifices and when everything seemed to be going wrong - and something always did go wrong - I still never gave up and, as you see, I have not given up now either.
“I’m not finished as a player, I still want to take on the world and I know that I will succeed.”
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IMO, we had more than one reason to treat him like trash.
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