Nesta: ‘Didn’t want to leave Lazio’

By Football Italia staff

Alessandro Nesta admits “I didn’t want to leave” Lazio when he joined Milan in the summer of 2002.

The Perugia Coach was the Biancocelesti’s captain, but the club’s financial problems meant he had to be sold.

“I grew up at Lazio, ever since I was eight years old,” Nesta pointed out, speaking to DAZN.

“I went through the whole youth system, I got to the first team and I became captain at a very young age.

“That was a very important milestone for me, after that I’d say the Scudetto.

“I didn’t want to leave, the year before I’d turned down some big clubs but then I realised I’d have to go.

“The club had debts and the team hadn’t been paid for six or seven months, then they called me a traitor.

“Today though Lazio is a healthy and well-organised club, President [Claudio] Lotito has done a good job, even though he’s challenged sometimes.

“In the end though he created an important team.”

Nesta was also asked for his memories of Perugia, who controversially beat Juventus to hand Lazio the Scudetto.

“Every now and then it rains very strongly here…”

Juve's final match of the 1999-2000 was delayed by about an hour due to a torrential rainstorm in Perugia, and Alessandro Calori's goal gave the capital club the title by just one point.

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