Veron: 'Mihajlovic taught me free kicks'

By Football Italia staff

Juan Sebastian Veron reveals Lazio forward Joaquin Correa asked him how to take free kicks, passing on what he learned from Sinisa Mihaljovic at Sampdoria.

Veron played for Lazio for two seasons at the turn of the millennium, and won a Scudetto, a Coppa Italia and an Italian Super Cup in the capital.

Towards the end of his career, Veron played with current Lazio forward Correa at Estudiantes, and reveals that he helped the youngster with his technique on free kicks.

“When he was a kid he stopped me on the pitch and asked me to explain how best to take free kicks. I taught him how to shape his foot and body,” Veron told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“After all, Sinisa Mihajlovic did the same thing with me.”

Veron and Mihajlovic played together at Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter, and the former midfielder states that he has been in contact with the current Bologna coach during the battle with leukaemia.

“I sent him a message on the day of his press conference. I already knew what his reply would be before even reading it.

“He said to me: “Thanks, I love you. I’m going to win anyway.” For me he is a brother.

“My career in Italy started with him and finished with him. He was always there.”

Mihajlovic was legendary in Serie A for his free kicks, scoring 28 times throughout his time in Italy, and Veron recalls how good he was.

“I was training with him, and I had just arrived in Italy.

“The first day of training I saw him setting the silhouettes to seven metres. I said to him: 'I can’t do this.' He always scored. That’s how he improved, and so did I.

“Who knows how many I would have scored, if there had been the spray can rule during my career...”

The majority of the stadiums that Veron played in during his seven seasons in Serie A are still used today, and unchanged.

“I believe that having a modern facility is a necessary element to increase revenue. Look at Juventus.

“San Siro is history, it is a monument, but in Italy there is a need to have stadiums that are projected for the future.

“The country has a duty to understand this. The usability of the event is different, we need to capture the younger generations.”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £9.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow