The wife of Inter midfielder Borja Valero gave an interview to the Viola’s official website, Fiorentina.it, ahead of this weekends game between Fiorentina and Inter. Rocio Rodriguez spoke openly about the couple’s time in Florence as well as both teams and the season so far: “Returning to Florence will be very emotional for me. We really want to be able to thank the Viola fans and say a proper goodbye as we did not have a chance to do so before we left in the summer. We had five intense years here in Florence.”
She was asked what kind of reception she expected her husband to receive “Work is one thing, he is a great professional and he is doing well in Milan, but to go back to a city where we have many friends and that welcomed us so well, that is another. Our hearts are now half viola and half nerazzurro. The best thing I experienced was seeing all the fans outside the house. It is not something you see everyday.”
She was asked which team their children support: “They support Real Madrid first then Inter. Fiorentina also. When Borja is away with Inter we watch the Fiorentina games.” When asked to choose which city she preferred she answered: “From what I saw, Florence is the most beautiful city in the world. I thought Milan would be much worse, mainly because of what I had heard from the people of Florence (she replied jokingly) but I have now grown used to Milan.”
She was asked to give her thoughts on this current Fiorentina side managed by Stefano Pioli: “There was a kind of revolution here at the club when we arrived. It is clear to see that the team are playing well at the moment and the players are giving their all for the team.” When asked if there was a player that she likes in this Fiorentina team she replied: “Federico Chiesa is a good player, still very young and came from the youth team at Settignanese. After the game we will stay on for a couple of days as I am running the marathon here on Saturday and then Sunday we will stop by to see the city.”
When asked if Borja Valero will be emotional before tehe game she replied: “It will all depend on how he will be received by the fans. He is a player that always approaches a game very calmly and is always concentrated on the game, but I am sure that after the game he will shed a tear…” When asked to give her prediction om the outcome of the game she replied: “I don’t know, I am very superstitious. I sincerely hope for the best for Fiorentina but only that they don’t do better than Inter. Inter are a team that must always win every game, it’s like when Borja was playing for Villarreal and had to face Real Madrid.”
She was then asked to share her thoughts on the return of Giuseppe Rossi after lengthy period of injuries that left him without a club until last month when he signed for Genoa. Borja Valero were teammates at Villarreal: “Giuseppe and Borja still speak and will often message each other too. We are both pleased that he is back, he is great guy and did not deserve all the bad luck that he had. He lives for football with the same hunger as a kid.” She ended on the future and where life will take their family after Borja retires: “we haven’t yet decided. Florence is our home but so to is Madrid. It will be a difficult decision but will sit down as a family before we decide.”
