Alberto Aquilani currently is the president of Spes Montesacro, a club in Rome where the former midfielder began playing the sport. In an exclusive interview with GianlucaDiMarzio.com, Aquilani talked about the move that brought him from Italy to Liverpool, as well as the impact that injuries had on his career, but began discussing Roma:
"I had to choose between Roma and Lazio. Tempestilli asked my father to come to Trigoria to sign. My heart decided for me." As a very young player, he turned down Chelsea and Arsene Wenger's Arsenal: "He called my father all the time."
Aquilani then talked about the move that finally brought him to the Premier League. "It was hard. I had to go to England, to a cold place, a huge change, but I played with incredible players. Torres, Macherano, Kuyt, and Gerrard: one of greatest I have every played with. Every year I received an important offer, I said no to Inter, and Juve, together Roma and I turned them all down. The year that I was injured, Roma was having financial problems and needed to make a big sale. Vucinic and I had several offers, and so it goes."
In 2014 Aquilani had 7 goals and earned a spot in the 23-player squad for the World Cup, but never played: "I was so proud being there, the World Cup is a dream. I still do regret, I would have loved to have played. In 2013 we finished third in the Confederations Cup, we had a great group."
Aquilani was asked if the injuries took a toll on his career: "They came to me in the worst moments, that always seemed to happen. In MIlan I was playing well, I was in form, but then I was sidelined for 3 months and I didn't recover it. I could have been able to do more, every now and then I think about it, but it's fine."
