Winging it in: Mauro Camoranesi
Signed, sealed and delivered. That's
Mauro Camoranesi's lengthy new
contract with Juventus. It may have been
a wet, miserable afternoon in July but
Camoranesi didn't care. He had just left a city
centre hotel after signing a four-year deal with
Juventus - `one of the biggest clubs in the world'
- and was pretty pleased with himself.
The 26-year-old Argentine could not believe
he would jump from the hell of relegation with
Verona to the heaven of defending the Scudetto
with Juventus. Although he knows he is a Juve
player he says he still has to pinch himself now
and then. "I was on holiday when my friend
Eriberto phoned me to tell me I had moved to
Juve. At first I thought he was joking and did not
believe him," he admits.
Costing the Old Lady £3m plus co-ownership
of striker Max Vieri, it seems both player and
club are more than happy with the deal. "We feel
we have brought to Juventus a player who can fit
into the standards we have always had at the club
and we have shown that faith by giving him a
long contract," said Juve transfer supremo
Luciano Moggi.
Wanted by several big clubs including Inter
and Roma, Camoranesi himself says: What
tipped the scales in favour of Juventus was the
determination of their officials. Apart from that I
always wanted to move here. I have only known
them as opponents but I have always been under
the impression that they look after their players.
They allow them to dedicate themselves to their
work in peace. I knew this even before I arrived
in Italy."
Camoranesi claims he has always been a fan of
Juventus as he used to watch Italian football on
television as a kid back in Argentina. "I
remember watching Juve beating my favourites
River Plate in the Inter-Continental Cup in
1996. And although River lost 1-0, I appreciated
how powerful Juventus were back then."
Born in Tandil, Argentina in October 1976,
his professional debut came in the 1996-97
season for Mexico's Santos Laguna. The
following year he returned to Argentina to play
for Serie B outfit Banfield. However, after just
one season he returned to Mexico, signing for
Cruz Azul. It was with Azul, one of Mexico's top
sides, that he really started to shine, scoring 32
goals in almost 80 games from 1998 to 2000.
Over the summer of 2000 Verona snapped him
up and he has been one of the side's few success
stories over the last two seasons. Playing in 50
League games, he scored seven goals including
one against Juventus last November. So is he
ready to provide crosses for David Trezeguet and
duet with Alessandro Del Piero? "I am more than
ready. In the two years I have played in Italy I feel
that I have become a respected player in such a
difficult League as Serie A. To be part of the most
important club in the world is no small
achievement," says Camoranesi. "I am still
unknown by many of the fans especially in
Europe and I hope that will change."
His best position is on the right wing and with
Gianluca Zambrotta - whom Camoranesi was
bought to cover, injured - he slipped straight into
the first team for pre-season. However, he is not
happy he became a titolare in this fashion. "I
have been given a great chance yet it's not a good
thing that I got my break thanks to an injured
colleague. I am doubly disappointed because
Zambrotta is a player I really admire both on and
off the field."
Calcio Italia magazine October 02