Experienced right-back Darijo Srna is enjoying a very good start to his first Serie A season after joining Cagliari in the summer on a free transfer. The Croatian defender is becoming one of the most important players to Maran's success so far, as it didn't take him long to settle in Sardinia: "My friends say to me: 'Darijo, you know that people pay good money to live in Sardinia while you are getting paid to live there, right?'. Maran persuaded me to go to the World Cup final while we were on pre-season retreat, he is an amazing guy and he understood how important that was for me", Srna revealed to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Rossoblu's next opponent will be Juventus, where another Croatian play, Mario Mandzukic: "He said to me that he wants to play on the left side, I responded that it would be worse for him, I won't let him have a single touch of the ball. He is a great friend of mine, as also Modric. Mandzukic reached the top withe the national team, what could he achieve more than reaching a World Cup final? He left them at his peak abd now he can focus on his career with his club. I think Juventus could win Champions League and, of course, Serie A. They don't have only Ronaldo, but also many significant players: Chiellini, for example, is the best defender in Italy".
Finally, Srna discussed his decision to join Cagliari while other big clubs were interested in him: "Cagliari are the only club that really wanted me. Inter, Barcelona and Chelsea? One has to decide both with his head and his heart. Before joining Cagliari I got some info from my friends Giovanni and Giacomo Branchini. Also Pavoletti called me, I like him as he likes to joke just like me. He is also a great striker. With all due respect to Mancini's job, I think he deserves a call-up. He's the striker you are missing. Barella will become one of the leaders of the Azzurri in the next few years".
