SempreInter.com interviewed Clujs defender Felice Piccolo exclusively before the return leg in Romania:
Felice, tell us about the life as a footballer in Romania?
“It’s the same in Italy as it is in Sweden, what changes is what’s on the pitch and the biggest difference is the quality on the pitch.”
What are the biggest differences between the italian football and the romanian football?
“The Italian football is more about tactics. Romania has a lot of quality, but it’s not the same type of football. There is quality in the league, but you can’t find a player such as Ibrahimovic for example, who wins games on his own.”
Do you miss Italy?
“Actually, I don’t. In Italy I would perhaps be playing with a team where I would be thinking about avoiding relegation. Here I fight to win the championship every year.”
Would you like to return to Italy as a player?
“On good conditions, yes.”
Is there any team that can beat Juventus to the Scudetto according to you?
“No, I don’t think so. I think they’ll win again and they are playing a football that’s different from the one that Italian teams are playing. It’s a new type of football and I think they make the difference.”
You returned to Italy as the opponent of Inter. Did your past at Juventus give you extra motivation for the game?
“It’s all the same, I am only thinking about helping Cluj and my colleagues. It’s a special game for me, of course, but as soon as the game starts I’m only thinking about playing well.”
Do you think your experiences in the Champions League helped you in the game?
“I hope it can help me in the future. But the only thing I know that will help you for sure is hard work during the week. We in Cluj must know that we’re normal players, even though we played in the Champions League so we have to be humble and not think we’re stars. We know that anything can happen in a game against United and Galatasaray. ”
What do you think about your possibilities to beat Inter at home?
“With 1-0 for Inter we would have had a good result. With 2-0 it will be more difficult, we are ready to do our best and we hope to get some joy from the game.”
If you beat Inter at home, do you think you could win the whole cup?
“No, we have to take one step at a time. We’re not a big team yet.”
How was it to play at the San Siro ?
“I have played there three or four times with Empoli, Juventus and Reggina. It’s always special to play there. However, the pitch was not good at all.”
It’s a new pitch, it’s supposed to be better than the one before?
”If you look at Milito’s injury, you can see that his leg makes a strange motion. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t ready to play on that type of pitch.”
Who in Inter impressed you the most?
“In that game it was Kovacic. He’s 18 years old, he was very quick and had a nice personality on the pitch. After him it was Palacio who didn’t touch the ball, but when he touches it, he scores, and that happened twice. There are many similar players in Italy.”
What do you think about Antonio Cassano? Is he hard to face when he is in this form?
“It is common for Cassano that when he gets the ball he closes the door. It’s hard because he has great qualities and he can make nice assists, one does not know when to fall or when to run against him. Depending on what Stramaccioni needs, maybe they can play with another striker, however, at this moment I do not think Inter can do without Cassano. Cassano, Guarin and Palacio.”
Andrea Ranocchia is having a great season so far. What do you think about him?
“I’m very happy for him and Italy has, since Maldini, Cannavaro and Nesta retired, had a difficult time finding good defenders. Italy needs good defenders since our country always has done well with a good defence. The national team needs great players.”
Should Ranocchia play in the national team according to you?
“Ranocchia, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Bonucci are battling for a spot. Barzagli is, however, the best player according to me.”
With Milito out injured, what other solutions are there for Inter?
“I don’t know actually. They have other attackers such as Palacio and Rocchi, another solution is to let Kovacic play higher up on the field. I don’t know if they should act on the mercato, that’s their problem.”
Did you change your shirt with anyone after the game? If you did, who and why?
”I played together with Handanovic in Lazio. He’s still my friend and we changed shirts.”
Do you think he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world?
“Yes, I think so. I like him very much and he’s good with his feet. He’s a humble guy as well and he’s very calm. I hope he can stay at Inter for a long time like the goalkeepers before him have done.”
It is said that he’s a person who works a lot and talks little, right?
“It’s true, from what I remember, it’s true.”
What do you think about Inters project in the future?
“I think they did a good thing when they brought in Kovacic who is eighteen. I don’t know much more, I’m not too familiar with what Inter are doing right now. However, it is a club with a president who will never lose the team. Fans must be excited to have such a president, he has spent lots of money on the team.”
Do you think Stramaccioni is doing well with Inter?
“It depends, you will see at the end of the year if Inter will give him time. They still have a chance at CL-spot, they’re still in the Europa League and Coppa Italia. He just needs time, I hope he can move forward in the Coppa Italia and do well in the league but that he will be knocked out of the Europa League. However, it is difficult.”
Can Inter win the Europa League with Stramaccioni?
“They definitely have the qualities to win Europa League.”
Inter lost badly against Fiorentina and Stramaccioni said some of it was because the Europa League game, do you think it affects the play that much to play in Europa?
“Juventus lost to Roma and Napoli dropped points against Sampdoria. It also happened when we took ten points in the Champions League, we were not good at all in the league. One consequence is that the Champions League and Europa League removes the motivation and strength from you which can make you drop points in the league.”
What do you think about Zlatan?
“I’ve played with him and he’s incredible. Everyone talks about his attitude being bad, but in this life, one must have a strong personality and he won’t let anyone stomp on him. As a footballer, he is something special. Without players like Cristiano and Messi, maybe he would have won three Golden Balls.”
Do you think Milan can beat Barcelona in the Champions League?
“I don’t think Milan can beat Barcelona, I don’t think any team can. Maybe they can win a team, but I think Barcelona will be superior. They are on a completely different level right now.”
On Sunday, it’s time for the Milan Derby, what do you think?
“I don’t know. Derbies are always special. So many times the team in better shape has lost.”
We’d like to thank our photographer and colleague Thomas Salme for the help with contacting Felice. We’d also like to thank Felice Piccolo himself for the time he took to answer us and we wish him the greatest of luck, after the game against Inter! The interview is made exclusively by SempreInter and can’t be used without referral to the main source.
Photo: Thomas Salme
